"Miss, you're back!"
As soon as Shu Yimo walked through the door, a servant spotted her and hurriedly greeted her.
Shu Yimo nodded and strode in.
Hearing the noise, An Zijie also looked up from his newspaper and his stern face softened slightly when he saw Shu Yimo entering.
"I want to go back to work at Hengtai Group tomorrow."
Shu Yimo sat down on the sofa next to An Zijie, poured herself a cup of tea, and took a sip before getting straight to the point.
An Zijie listened, his eyes darkening for a moment. After a brief silence, he said, "The company matters have always been decided by your grandfather. You should talk to him and let him arrange a position for you."
An Zijie was not interested in business affairs.
"I want to join the company as a shareholder, not to listen to someone else's arrangements."
Shu Yimo was no fool. She was already a significant shareholder of Hengtai Group. She didn't need to miss out on a shortcut only to follow the commands of others.
"You..."
An Zijie frowned.
"I'm not here to discuss with you; I'm here to inform you of my decision. I didn't know what deal my grandfather made with my mother to acquire ten percent of the company's shares, but now that my mother has passed away, it's natural for me to inherit her belongings. Moreover, when Hengtai Group faced a crisis years ago, my grandmother generously helped and bought another ten percent of Hengtai's shares in my mother's name. I think I have the right to enter the company as the second-largest shareholder of Hengtai Group."
Shu Yimo didn't want to remain silent anymore. She had to take back what belonged to her.
Shu Yimo did not stay for dinner. After briefly explaining these things, she turned and walked towards the door.
"Yimo! Aren't you going to stay for dinner before you leave?"
Ye Shang followed her out.
"No need."
Shu Yimo looked at Ye Shang in front of her and responded indifferently.
Ye Shang was An Zijie's wife and had not given birth to any children after their marriage, so she was quite good to Shu Yimo. She had been friends with Shu Yimo's mother, Shu Yan.
Over the years, she had taken decent care of Shu Yimo, being the only person in the An Family who had some affection for her.
That sounded quite ironic.
...
"Her wings have grown strong, indeed. Two years have done nothing to wear away her defiance and rebelliousness. What a fine daughter you have raised!"
That evening, An Yusheng and Wang Ruyi returned home. During dinner, An Zijie roughly told An Yusheng about Shu Yimo's matters.
An Yusheng was indeed angry. The suppressed rage on his aged face made Ye Shang feel uneasy, and she quickly tried to soothe him—
"Dad, it's our own family business. Since Yimo is already out, it's only right for her to come back to the company and help."
"Help? You didn't see her attitude! Her temper! She even dared to challenge me directly!"
A furious An Yusheng slammed his chopsticks on the table with a smack.
An Zijie's complexion also shifted.
"What Yimo said is the truth. You know very well what happened back then. Don't forget she has the Shu Family backing her. I can understand if you're partial in your heart, but don't slap your own face. Shu Rui and Shu Qiang are no easy foes, and there's no need for you to be angry. I'm just reminding you. I don't think Yimo is wrong in this matter."
An Zijie, too, lost his appetite. He laid down his chopsticks coldly and got up to leave the dining room.
"Nonsense! Like father, like daughter!"
Watching An Zijie leave, an even more tremulous An Yusheng grew furious.
"Zijie..."
Ye Shang looked at An Zijie's retreating figure and called out, but An Zijie didn't slow his pace in the slightest.
"Dad, Zijie has been very busy with official duties recently, he might be tired. He doesn't mean to be angry with you. Now that Yimo is in such a situation, if even her own company doesn't accept her, who else can she rely on? Dad, Yimo actually..."
"Enough, stop talking. It's just a small matter, and it's turned into this mess. She wants to return to Hengtai, doesn't she? Fine, let her return. The old man will arrange a position for her tomorrow," Wang Ruyi spoke nonchalantly.
"No, Mom, Yimo said she wants to join Hengtai as the second largest shareholder, which is her right. We can't..."
Ye Shang looked at Wang Ruyi and noticed something was off about her expression, so her voice trailed off.
"What an attitude. Can she really handle it?" Wang Ruyi said coldly.
"Mom, Dad, what Zijie said just now isn't wrong. We should take the Shu Family into consideration. I heard from my dad a few days ago that Shu Qiang is going to be transferred back to Jiangcheng after the New Year..."
Ye Shang hesitated for a moment before she cautiously spoke.
"What? Shu Qiang is being transferred back?"
At these words, Wang Ruyi also stiffened...
Shu Qiang held a high position and was very concerned about Shu Yimo.
Originally, Shu Qiang was excessively affectionate towards his sister, always protective of Shu Yan, and his connections were beyond question. If it hadn't been for the Luo Family acting quickly to convict Shu Yimo, with Shu Qiang around, things might have been difficult...
The An Family harbored some fear of the Shu Family; otherwise, An Yusheng would not have made such a deal with Shu Yan, even at great expense...
It was said that Shu Qiang had been married once before, but later divorced. Having no children of his own, he treated Shu Yimo as his child and defended her in every way.
If that were the case, An Yusheng could not ignore the implications and had to think more deeply, after all...
"Yes, he's being promoted and coming back," Ye Shang replied.
Wang Ruyi's gaze turned dark for a moment as she exchanged a look with An Yusheng beside her.
An Yusheng's aged eyes also turned colder. After a long thought, he finally said, "Ye Shang, later, notify all the major shareholders for a brief meeting. Let's set it for nine o'clock tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing this, a glint of surprise flashed across Ye Shang's eyes, and she quickly said, "Okay, I understand, Dad! Should we also notify Yimo to attend?"
She couldn't help but ask, as it was likely the meeting would announce Shu Yimo's status.
An Yusheng's face darkened further, and he rose, clearly annoyed as he left—
"Just handle it yourself!"
He dropped that remark and walked towards the door, his slightly overweight figure disappearing through it.
"Mom, this..."
Ye Shang felt rather perplexed and had no choice but to turn to Wang Ruyi, who was still sitting there.
"Call them. Isn't this what you all wanted to see?" Wang Ruyi responded coldly before standing up. "Even a meal has to be so unpleasant. Ever since she came back, turmoil started at home. I really don't know how you all raised such a daughter over the years!"
"Mom, Yimo didn't mean anything by it, she just..."
"There's no need for you to explain for her. I know exactly what she's made of," Wang Ruyi responded with clear displeasure, making Ye Shang feel wronged. But she didn't understand why her grandmother was so indifferent towards her own granddaughter, yet for her granddaughter-in-law...