The next day, Xiaoyun woke up from his bed.
After getting ready, he drove to the coffee shop again and sat down.
"Sir, you had been here every day... Are you waiting for someone?"
The waiter asked as she served the black coffee to Xiaoyun's table.
"Yes... I am waiting for someone. Have you seen a girl who is slightly taller than me, with a round face and long hair with a small black hair clip? And her name is Leyan."
Xiaoyun stood up in excitement as he realized he could have asked the waiter a long time ago.
"Sorry... I don't think I had served someone with that description."
The waiter took a step back as Xiaoyun moved a little too close.
"Thank you..."
Xiaoyun sat back down in his seat, looking defeated upon hearing the news.
"No problem."
---
After sitting in the coffee shop for three hours, Xiaoyun finally got up and drove towards the company.
"Mister Songming? Is that you?"
The receptionist looked shocked as Xiaoyun entered the building.
"Yes, that's me. I'm back... Actually, can you do me a favor?"
Xiaoyun whispered something to the receptionist and then took the elevator up.
---
As Xiaoyun arrived in the meeting room, there were several people already inside.
Many of them were familiar, as Xiaoyun had seen them from the last revenue meeting.
"Well, well, well, good morning, everybody. I am sure you gentlemen know what I am here for."
Xiaoyun casually sat down on the opposite side of the host seat as Songyi was directly across from him.
"Why the hell is he here?" Songyi stood up.
"Did nobody inform him? I am being hired to be the CEO again." Xiaoyun replied as he looked over to Mr. Li.
"Mr.Li, you said this board of directors is willing to give me 20% if I join as the CEO, right?"
"Yes, but you will convince Songyi to sell his stock."
Li Ping nervously shook a little as he looked away from Songyi.
"What? How? Did none of you bastard tell me about this? I will never sell this stock."
Songyi adamantly refused as he grabbed onto his armrest.
"Oh, don't you worry... I am not here to convince you to sell. Rather, I am convincing everybody here to sell their ownership."
The entire office fell into shock as they couldn't believe what Xiaoyun had just said.
"What? No one is going to do that."
"Why would we do that? It just makes no sense."
"Yeah, hell no, that's never going to happen."
"Just because the stock is down doesn't mean it's worthless. Songming, you stepped over the line."
The stockholders started to murmur among each other, with some of them flat-out yelling at Xiaoyun.
But before anyone could call security, Xiaoyun reached inside his suit to take out a letter.
"A house purchased in Hainan for three hundred thousand, a Lamborghini costing over two hundred thousand dollars was purchased.
A trip to Hawaii costing over one hundred thousand dollars... Do I need to read more?"
The room fell into silence as all the stockholders looked at each other with suspicion.
Xiaoyun suddenly slammed the table as he stood back up.
"This total ups at least over several millions of dollars! Fucking millions! How the hell did you guys even embezzle this much?
Grandpa trusted you guys to run the company with him, and this is how you treat the company? If I call the security commissioner right now, all of you will be in prison for embezzlement for the rest of your life!"
As soon as Xiaoyun finished talking, several of the stockholders started having sweat falling from their foreheads.
"Shit, how did this bastard know?"
"I don't know either?"
"Must be damn Songyun writing it down."
"It wasn't even that big of a purchase."
The stockholders began to talk among themselves as almost all of them were involved or benefited from the embezzlement.
"No wonder this company is so god damn hard to run! All you damn leeches!"
Songyi suddenly slammed the table and stood up in anger, not realizing that Xiaoyun himself was able to run the company even with the leeches.
"Fuck you all! I am going to report all of you!"
As Songyi started walking toward the door, Xiaoyun reminded everyone of something.
"I wouldn't let him leave if I were you guys... Unless you all wanted to end up in prison."
All the stockholders immediately rushed toward Songyi and tied him to the chairs.
"Shit, he's right. We will be all screwed if he snitched." One of them yelled out loud.
Several of the stockholders started having ideas as they began walking towards Xiaoyun. However, a few of the stockholders prevented them from getting closer to him.
"Looks like we still have some smart people in the crowd. Do you think I would only have one copy?
This is just a warning. If I don't leave here alive within ten minutes, the receptionist will call the police...
Let's see if any of you still have the courage to risk it all and follow Grandpa when he started the company with you all.
Just have one of you guys take me out and take the blame. None of this will be leaked out if I just die here."
Xiaoyun raised both hands in the air, showing zero sign of resistance and no fear on his face.
"You do it."
"No, you do it!"
"No, why don't you do it?"
"Just take the bullet, or else we are all going to be in prison."
Seeing the stockholders infighting among each other, Xiaoyun knew his plan had worked.
"Actually, how about I offer you all a deal? You all sell your stocks at the market price to me, and I will remove the records as if it never happened." Xiaoyun suggested.
"What?"
"The stock price is so low."
"I am never doing that."
"Yeah, I am not doing that either."
"That's daylight robbery."
Seeing all the stockholders refused, Xiaoyun decided to remind them of something.
"You guys have five minutes left. I would hurry and decide if I were you."
With no other options, the stockholders were all forced to cut their losses.
"Fine, we accept your deal. But we want at least double the market price."
Li Ping nervously asked as he was picked as the representative.
"Do you guys look like you are in a position to leverage the deal? I am being merciful by letting you guys off the hook." Xiaoyun replied coldly.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"Mister Songming, your paper is here."
The office worker handed Xiaoyun the paper and left the room.
"Well, the contract is here. It's up to you all to sign it or not."
"I accept the deal."
Li Ping signed the paper and sat back down in his seat.
Another signed the contract and sat down in his seat
Eventually, all of them signed the paper one by one, except for Songyi.
"Well, congratulations, you guys are all free now. You got your money and crime off, and I get the company I want."
After double-checking that everyone's name was on it, Xiaoyun was now the majority owner of the company, holding almost 50% of the stock.
"We will remember this."
Just as one of the stockholders opened the door, a group of policemen suddenly rushed in.
"Everybody freeze, you are all under arrest for unlawful embezzlement of a publicly traded company. Mr.Chen has already provided all the information."
"Stop resisting!" One of the officers yelled as a few of the stockholders tried to run away.
The police started handcuffing everyone one by one as some of the stockholders started pushing back.
"You bastard! Songming, you fucking call the cops on us!" One of them yelled in disbelief as he pointed at Xiaoyun.
"Thank you for intervening in this."
Xiaoyun bowed down in gratitude as the security commissioner walked up to him.
"No problem, I owed Songyun a favor... I know I shouldn't intervene in your family affairs, but can you be lenient to Songyi? He never had a parent that took care of him."
Seeing the defeated Songyi sitting in his seat, looking hopeless, Xiaoyun nodded in agreement.
"I have nothing to use against him. He's cleaner than most of the people here... Don't worry. He's Grandpa's grandkid, and I promised him that I'll be nice to Songyi."
After five minutes, the office workers were confused seeing all the stockholders being loaded into police cars.
---
As Xiaoyun walked up and untied Songyi from the chair, he offered him a deal.
"You are free to go now, Songyi, but if you want to sell your stock, I can offer you triple the market price. Or you can just hold it. It's up to you."
After a long silence, Songyi finally spoke up.
"Why did Grandpa give you that letter? How did I lose like this? Songming... What did I do wrong?"
Songyi looked down in shame as he covered his face with his hand, and a small bit of tears came down from his face.
"You didn't lose because of the letter. You lost because you had been in prison for too long.
You had been too arrogant and showed no respect to your workers. Just walking into the office block, I could tell all the workers were unmotivated.
The old man always told me to treat the workers with respect. It seems prison hasn't taught you anything."
Just before Xiaoyun left the meeting room, Songyi spoke up again.
"I will sign the paper... Maybe you are right. I didn't learn my lesson."
After signing the paper, Songyi left the meeting room.
"Well, it looks like you are the only majority owner left now. Do you want to buy the rest of the stock in the market? Every stockholder in the public market is panic selling your stock anyway."
The security commissioner asked as he stood outside the meeting room, waiting for Xiaoyun to come out.
"What do you think?" Xiaoyun smirked as he firmly looked back.
"You really are ambitious... just like Songyun." The security commissioner murmured as he watched Xiaoyun leave the office.
---
It was a month since the incident.
The news scandal that broke out caused the company stock to plummet to almost zero, making it even easier for Xiaoyun to delist the company. He barely needed to spend much to privatize it fully.
After working hard for over three months and using all the connections he had from Grandpa, he was finally able to perform a miracle turnaround as the company was finally on track to get rid of its debt.
One day, Xiaoyun was invited by his business partner to a social gathering.
"Mr. Chen, has anyone told you that you look so young?" the business partner asked as he approached Xiaoyun.
"Well, I am only in my twenties. I had to leave college early for the company," Xiaoyun replied.
"So you had only graduated from college for two years and made a miracle turnaround for a company that has crashed in the stock market.
No wonder why everyone calls you the most successful young entrepreneur."
The man takes a sip of wine as he waits for Xiaoyun to reply.
"Well, I wouldn't call myself that. I think I am more of just a good boss to his workers." Xiaoyun replied as he took a sip of the wine as well.
"You know, a lot of people are eager to invest in your company when you make the company public again. Myself included."
Xiaoyun hesitated for a second, then replied.
"Maybe in the future, perhaps. I haven't decided it yet. But I'm sure we can make a deal in the future."
The two cheered and took a sip together.
"Perhaps I can introduce my daughter to you. I am sure you two will make a great match."
Despite the man's joking tone, he was hoping Xiaoyun would accept it.
"Sorry, I already promised someone." Xiaoyun's tone suddenly changed as he thought back to Leyan.
"Let's get back to business then..."
The man noticed Xiaoyun's dislike of talking about marriage, so he quickly shifted back to business talk.
A few hours later...
As Xiaoyun drunkenly walked towards his car after the gathering, suddenly, a person ran out from the dark and rushed toward him.
He could feel a sharp object stabbing through his chest and leg as the person ran away from the scene.
Before he fell to the ground, the last thing he could hear was his driver rushing towards him.
---
When Xiaoyun woke up, he was already in the hospital.
"Well, long time no see. I remember the last time you were with that old man."
The same doctor he had from the car accident was standing in front of him.
"Wait, why am I in the hospital?" Xiaoyun asked in confusion as he couldn't recall what happened.
"Boss, you were stabbed by someone."
The driver explained as he walked into the room.
"Shit, I knew I should have gotten some bodyguards. Especially going out at night like that."
Xiaoyun murmured as he was still a little hungover from the alcohol last night.
"Well, fortunately, the wound just barely missed the heart and the veins. We just patched it up with a few stitches... But you will have to stay in the hospital for at least a month in case it ruptures or has an infection.
Also, no standing up for at least three weeks since your leg was also stabbed."
After giving Xiaoyun a warning, the doctor decided to comment on something.
"You are so lucky that you are still alive. I had never seen someone dodge death twice like that. Anyway, your anesthesia is going to last at least for a few more hours; I got to another patient to see now."
The doctor left the room.
"Of course, this happened just as I just got the company afloat... Longming, can you bring me my phone?"
"Yes, boss."
Longming dug through the blood-stained cloths and took out Xiaoyun's phone.
"The password is 1205, and call Li Xiao, please."
Longming called the phone number and held it next to Xiaoyun's ear.
"Good morning, boss. Do you need something?"
"I got in an accident. I won't be able to work for at least several weeks. Go take out my drawer in my office. There is a list of things that I need you to do for me. You are now the temporary CEO."
"Thank you, boss. I won't disappoint your trust."
Xiaoyun signaled Longming to end the call.
"Longming, you can go home now. Your family must be worried." Xiaoyun waved for him to go.
"No, boss, I already told them I am going home late. I can stay here and take care of you."
"No need. I hired you as a driver, and you shouldn't need to do something outside of your job. Now go."
Xiaoyun's determined face made Longming accept the suggestion as he turned around and left.
As several hours passed, suddenly, someone walked in.
"Hello, I am your nurse for today. I am here to check your... Wait, are you Songming? The one that went to Yancheng University?"
The nurse suddenly asked as she walked in with her clipboard.
"Um, yes?"
Xiaoyun was confused as to why the nurse was reacting so much that he couldn't recognize the nurse under the mask.
"Oh my god, we haven't seen each other for so long! I am Leyan. Do you still remember me?"
Leyan took off her face mask and ran excitedly towards Xiaoyun.
"Of course I do. I have been trying to reach you for an entire year. I had been calling your phone every day and waiting at our usual spots at the coffee shop."
Xiaoyun couldn't hold in his excitement as he couldn't believe he would see Leyan in the hospital out of all places.
"I'm so sorry. I was interning in a rural hospital in the countryside after I graduated, and there was no service at all. I only got transferred back to the cities a few days ago."
The two looked at each other, then quickly looked away to the side as their faces brushed.
"It's okay, as long as you are here, that's all I care about."
Xiaoyun tried to hug Leyan but remembered he was still under anesthesia as he couldn't move his arm or leg.
"What happened to you? Why are you all bandaged up like this?" Leyan asked curiously.
"Somebody tried to kill me, but luckily I lived... But I am quite happy I got stabbed, though."
Xiaoyun couldn't help but laugh as he thought about the positives, realizing that fate had brought him here.
"Hey! Don't say that! Why are you laughing?"
Leyan looked confused as she couldn't understand why anyone would want to be stabbed.
"Well, if I didn't get stabbed, I would have never got a hold of you. I will take this deal any time of the day."
Leyan's face was blushing red as she shyly looked down to the ground.
"Do you remember what I said when we saw each other for the last time?" Xiaoyun asked.
"Yeah, I still remember..."
"I would like to fulfill it. Would you mind giving me a chance, babe?"
Without any hesitation, Leyan immediately nodded in agreement.
"Of course I do! I had been waiting for so long! You dummy! What took you so long?"
Leyan rushed to Xiaoyun's arm as tears of happiness came out of her eyes.
"Well, after I executed the plan, nobody played dirty as Grandpa expected. I guess thanks to today's peaceful society, people really have changed. Everybody was playing by the rules...
Well, at least until now... Anyway, I was able to revitalize the company and get everything running again... But without you, this is all useless."
Xiaoyun stared Leyan in the eye as he said it out loud.
"You are so sweet! But I——"
"prefer the naive me, right? I'm sorry, Leyan, but I don't think I can go back to that anymore. Society has changed me..."
Xiaoyun looked down and thought of all the changes he had gone through.
"No, no, I like both versions of you... I just wanted to say that my mom and dad wanted me to bring a boyfriend back home on Chinese New Year. I was wondering if you could come."
Without any hesitation, Xiaoyun instantly accepted it.
"Of course I can. You know what, we can marry next week and call your entire family over instead if you want."
Xiaoyun suddenly raised his voice as he suggested it to Leyan.
"W-What? Is that a little too fast?"
"Nah, I think it is a perfect time. I missed you too much... I don't want to lose you again."
Seeing that Xiaoyun really cared about her, Leyan was touched, but she reminded him of something.
"But but... you are still injured."
Xiaoyun looked down and realized she was right.
"Oh my god, I completely forgot. You are right... It will have to wait."
As the two fell into silence, they stared at each other's faces, and their lips got closer and closer together.
Just as they were about to touch, the door suddenly opened.
"Hey, Leyan. What's taking so long?"
Another nurse asked as she walked into the room, but her brain froze as she noticed the two's faces being so close to each other.
"Oh, um, please enjoy your time. Just pretend I never came here."
The nurse immediately closed the door and left.
"This is all your fault."
Leyan looked back at Xiaoyun in embarrassment.
"Well, I can't move, so surely it can't be me who moved closer." Xiaoyun jokingly pointed out.
"Hmph, you dummy..."
Leyan started checking Xiaoyun's pulse and blood pressure. After She finished examining him, she tucked him in and picked up her clipboard.
"Hey, Leyan, can I ask you a favor?" Xiaoyun suddenly asked just as Leyan was about to leave.
"What is it?"
As Leyan turned back around, she was shocked to see his eye signals.