"She did what?!" A man in his fifties shouted as he grabbed the phone tightly. On the other line, his informant relayed everything that had occurred at Jiang Group Corporation.
"Fine, lay low for a while and make sure she doesn't discover you." He instructed.
This man was Zhao JianBo, the eldest son of Jiang Mo Ran, Chairman Jiang's young sister. Once upon a time, Jiang Family were once a thriving middle-class family. Both Chairman Jiang and his sister used to get along and were loved by their parents.
However, in the patriarchy era they were from, Chairman Jiang was more favoured. Upon his parents' death, he inherited most of the family's money and properties. He used this money to create Jiang Group Corporation, working hard to make his business become as established as it was today.
Jiang Mo Ran, on the other hand, was only left with a small inheritance. She had always been a headstrong and ambitious woman, who felt it was unfair her brother took all of their family money while she was left with nothing. This resentment festered overtime and became an inborn hatred that ruined the kinship between both of them.
Although, Chairman Jiang had initially felt guilty about his young sister and thus dotted on her as compensation, Jiang Mo Ran had harboured ill intentions while still receiving his gifts.
Her sights became big and started longing for the big fat piece of meat that was her brother's company.
As the years went, she became defeated by her brother's success and strength. Even though he had dotted on her, it became clear that his company would never fall unto her hands.
When he married and had a son, Jiang Ming, it entailed that this big fat piece of meat would never land on her hands nor her children. And therefore, Jiang Mo Ran began scheming against her brother's son.
She used the unspoken long rivalry that Jiang Ming had with Wen Zhao of the Wen family. Jiang Ming and Wen Zhao had both fell for the same woman, however in the end, Jiang Ming became the victor. And so, Jiang MoRan schemed to make the Wen Zhao deal with her nephew.
However, she never foresaw that Wen Zhao would not take the bait. Although they were rivalries, they were not true enemies as to want to ruin each other. Wen Zhao had quickly moved on and fell for another woman, letting bygones be bygones.
Seeing her scheme fall short, Jiang MoRan therefore decided to take matters into her own hands. She paid a truck driver to cause an accident to make Jiang Ming incapable of running the Jiang Corporation in the future. She never would have guessed Wen Zhao would be in the same accident. Both lives were lost that day, making her panic.
Because it had never been her intention to murder, only to cripple Jiang Ming. Jiang MoRan then retreated and quit working in the corporation. She decided to focus on her family and raising children.
Jiang Mo Ran had married in Zhao Family who came from long line of scholars who never set foot in the business world. She had two sons from that marriage, Zhao JianBo and Zhao WuJi.
However, because she had long been an ambitious woman who did not like being controlled, she dealt with her husband's family and became the matriarch instead, using her deceased husband's mantle.
Out of her two children, Zhao JianBo became more like her with the same ambitions. She therefore began training him. Her other son, Zhao WuJi inherited the scholarly way and so, fled the family to live abroad.
Zhao JianBo married an actress and had two children, one son and one daughter. The eldest son, Zhao YiQin, became a greedy second-generation heir who had no ambitions and liked loitering around Z city's bars and nightclubs.
The youngest daughter Zhao LiYi followed her mother's footsteps and entered the entertainment industry.
Although Zhao LiYi had grown up sheltered and spoilt by the family, she had a malicious heart. She had the same thirst and malicious streak of her grandmother's.
An observant Jiang MoRan had seen this in her granddaughter and decided to warn her against it to protect her.
Could Zhao LiYi listen to such warnings? Of course, she would not. And so, she hid her intentions, wearing an innocent mask while behind closed doors she was vicious and cruel.
Even now she hid in the corner as she listened to her father and grandmother's conversation.
"She's a nobody that came from an orphanage, what right does she have to strut at the Corporation and upturn every connection I worked hard for years to obtain." Zhao JianBo complained.
"JianBo, how can you get angry at a little girl's actions. Although, your uncle suddenly discovered her four years ago and gave her 20% of shares that her father, Jiang Ming, used to own. This doesn't mean anything..." Jiang MoRan comforted her son.
"...Her background right now is her weakness. We can always use this weakness to draw the public and board against her." She reasoned.
Although she was now old and not as strong as she used to be, the remnants of her fierce resolve could be seen.
"Your uncle has grown old and is becoming silly, before we can strike him, we have to target that so called granddaughter of his. Right now, she doesn't have the experience to run Jiang Corporation. We have to ruin whatever plan she has before it comes to fruition. That way, we can get everyone on the board to pressure her and abdicate her position." She continued.
"I know mother, it just that, I didn't expect her to catch those people off-guard like that. It feels like she's throwing all my years of work down the drain." Zhao JianBo complained.
"She doesn't have any evidence, right now focus on silencing those people. Make sure they never mention you." She reminded him.
"Yes, I will get right on it."
"JianBo what about those board members, has Lu Chao caved in yet?" She asked.
"Mother I am trying, but he is not budging. Although Yang LiPi and Wu Shang are our side, their shares combined only make 6%, . But it's all talk for now and I still cannot get their written promise. Right now, they appear too comfortable and don't want to risk losing their shares."
"Those people are useless; they like to wager but they're cowards. At this moment, the winning side is Jiang XinYan. I'm sure while they've spoken to you, they will also try to please her." Jiang Mo Ran sneered.
"Lao Ran and Lu Chao each have 7% of shares, however, I don't trust Lao Ran. I cannot read through her and her actions. Our focus should be on Lu Chao. He has a rebellious daughter who doesn't want to marry and settle down. Although she's bit older than YiQin, try to convince him to seduce her. Once we make raw rice become cooked rice [1], he'll have no choice but to join our side. Just ensure that his 7% becomes the bargaining chip."
"Yes mother, I will do as you say." Zhao JianBo finally relaxed.
He then bid her farewell to go and settle those people that Jiang XinYan had imprisoned.
...
[1] If a man and a woman get married, it is like raw rice boiled to be cooked rice-It becomes a permanent matter that cannot be undone. The only option is to eat it, meaning accept it.