"Madam's words are true," Steward Zhou said with a smile, "then let's hope this Miss Ye has some self-awareness."
Suddenly, Madam Zhou said, "I still feel uneasy about collaborating with President Quan. It would be bad if Hechen were to be summoned away with a single phone call from Sheng Yunyi."
Steward Zhou understood, "I grasp Madam's meaning, the master is still abroad conducting business, I will convey your orders to the general manager."
"Go," Madam Zhou nodded.
As Steward Zhou left, he heard the sound of fierce arguing coming from the study on the third floor.
He shook his head and quickly departed.
"Zhou Hechen, don't try to pull wool over my eyes," Xu Lu slammed the table in the study and said coldly, "If you can't control your own people, I don't mind stepping in to help."
"There's no need for Young Master Xu to worry about my affairs," Zhou Hechen said with a light smile, "My own people, I will of course manage well."
He really didn't want to have any further involvement with Ye Wanlan, but Xu Lu wanted to use this issue to step on him, an impossibility.
"You manage well?" Xu Lu said with sarcasm, "If you could manage well, why is Qin Xian still lying in the hospital? How could she have the audacity to barge into my private room today? Zhou Hechen, you don't want Yunyi to be upset, do you?"
Zhou Hechen's gaze suddenly turned cold, and he pulled out a bank card from his wallet: "One million."
Xu Lu scoffed, "Not enough."
Zhou Hechen restrained his anger, "The Phoenix City order is yours."
"Brother Hechen is generous," Xu Lu finally showed a genuine smile, "Then let's put an end to this matter. Rest assured, I won't trouble your little lover, and I won't say anything unnecessary in front of Yunyi."
With those words, he swaggered out of the Zhou Family home.
Zhou Hechen lit a cigarette and contacted Ye Wanlan with a cold face.
After two beeps, the call connected.
"Hello." The girl's voice was cold, like the first snowfall of early winter.
"How long do you plan to keep this up? I've given you plenty of time, is this how you choose to make a scene?" Zhou Hechen said with deep annoyance and coldly continued, "Do you realize by causing trouble, they will come to me to attract my attention? How childish is that?"
There was no response, his anger increased, "Don't you have anything to say?"
"I do," finally spoke Ye Wanlan, her voice detached, "You sure have a lot of phone numbers."
Zhou Hechen was taken aback, as a cold "beep beep" sound came from the receiver.
When he tried to call back, it was unreachable.
He had been blocked again.
Xu Li had witnessed the entire scene, and said dumbfoundedly, "Brother Hechen, could it be she's truly not chasing after you anymore? That shouldn't be right..."
This remark provoked an even greater irritation in Zhou Hechen, and a sudden dull ache at his heart.
He fixed his gaze on Xu Li, "What do you mean by that?"
Startled, Xu Li hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, Brother Hechen, my mistake."
Zhou Hechen ignored him and dialed the director's number at Huangchi Entertainment, his tone indifferent, "Yes, stop all her work, terminate her agent's duties as well."
Without work, without a source of income, Ye Wanlan won't be able to survive in Jiangcheng and will have to come back to him.
**
The next day, at 8:30 in the morning, Huiteng Company headquarters.
A middle-aged man hurriedly entered the building.
The secretary who came to greet him whispered, "Director Liu, the new chairman has arrived."
The general manager frowned, "Arrived?"
"Yes, she arrived at eight a.m., even earlier than us."
"Seems like she's really eager to make a mark as the new official, what about the joint resignation letter?"
"It's been delivered, just placed in the chairman's office."
"Then that's really strange," the general manager said in surprise, "half an hour has passed, why hasn't she made any move?"
He had only been notified yesterday that Lin Weilan had appointed a new chairman to take over Huiteng.
That was one thing, but it was a girl not even twenty years old, who hadn't even finished high school!
Was this not chaos?
He had worked diligently at Huiteng for ten years; he had no outstanding achievements but had worked hard, and why should he simply hand over the results of his labor?
No one would accept Ye Wanlan's parachuting in, hence today's joint resignation letter.
"Not sure, the door has been closed, no noise, probably panicked and calling for help," the secretary smiled, "With so many resignations, how could she handle it? She'll have to roll out."
The general manager scorned, "Good if she understands that."
Women should really just stay at home and take care of their families; what's the point in joining the excitement of the workplace?
The general manager didn't bother to report to Ye Wanlan and went back to his office.
At nine o'clock sharp, all employees were present and in place.
"I wonder who the new chairwoman is, some sort of deity?"
"A dropout who's not even an MBA..."
At this moment, on the third floor, in the chairwoman's office.
Cheng Qingli was nervous: "Sister Lan, you've been sitting here for an hour now, should we..."
She had accompanied Ye Wanlan to the company today, only to be faced with a joint resignation letter from nearly fifty people.
In the entire Huiteng Company, there were only 65 employees.
"Hmm, it's nine o'clock, time to start work," Ye Wanlan leaned back in her chair, "Anyone who isn't here will be marked late, and those whose names are on the resignation letter will be dismissed immediately."
Cheng Qingli recorded each name.
Ye Wanlan said, "Good, we can start the meeting now."
"A meeting? But the employees are all..." Cheng Qingli had just begun speaking when she saw Ye Wanlan type a string of characters on the computer.
She didn't understand it; it looked like some kind of program.
After entering the commands, Ye Wanlan pressed the Enter key.
"Beep, beep, beep!"
At that moment, an alarm sounded from every employee's computer and their screens darkened.
"What's going on, a hacker attack? Who conducts corporate warfare with such high-end methods nowadays, aren't they all playing with killing the fortune tree?"
"What's the matter, did we get a virus, or is there a power outage?"
The general manager looked at the black screen, frowning, "What is the tech department doing?"
The secretary was equally baffled: "I'll go ask right away."
He had just lifted his foot when the computer screens lit up again.
It wasn't the desktop wallpaper but a face.
The beauty of this face was undeniable, every inch of skin was like fine jade, soft and delicate.
But her entire demeanor was anything but "soft"; she just sat quietly in the swivel chair, hands clasped, exuding an overwhelming presence.
The girl's blue pupils were like the ocean; her sharp gaze swept over everyone like a predator on the hunt.
"..."
Absolute silence.
The employees stared blankly at the screens, unable to comprehend the spectacle before them.
"I'm sorry to meet you all this way. First, let me introduce myself, I am Ye Wanlan," Ye Wanlan spoke slowly, "Starting from today, I am your new chairwoman."
Many people snapped back to reality, and a mix of snickers could be heard emanating from the various offices.
The general manager pointed at the computer screen, laughing so hard tears were coming out: "She really thinks she's the chairwoman."
The Huiteng Garment Company had been suffering losses for three consecutive quarters. The Lin Family hadn't bothered with it anymore, leaving it to fend for itself. What could Ye Wanlan possibly do?
"None of you believe in me, which I understand; it's normal thinking. But you shouldn't try to use this to threaten me. Those whose names I call out, I have accepted your resignation letters," Ye Wanlan said with a slight smile. "Thank you for your contributions to the company, and for saving the company a significant sum in compensation funds."
"..."
A deathly stillness; the employees were dumbfounded.
Ye Wanlan didn't give them time to think or react, and began to speak immediately: "Lin Geng, Luo Yinqiu, Wu Yi..."
She read over thirty names before stopping.
The general manager's expression went from scornful to shocked, then fearful.
These were the most fishy workers in the company, including a finance department supervisor who colluded in creating false accounts and taking kickbacks.
He knew this too well because he was involved as well.
But how could Ye Wanlan have known?
"Furthermore, General Manager Liu, you are fired as of today," Ye Wanlan waved the document in her hand. "Although your name isn't on the joint resignation letter, it was sent to me with your approval, so I agree to your leaving the company."
"On what grounds?!" The general manager stood up furiously, leaning on the desk and roaring at the computer screen, "You have no right! You can't do this!"
Lin Weilan had not fired him; what right did Ye Wanlan, who had just become the chairwoman, have to do so?
To dismiss him without cause, according to the labor law, he was entitled to at least a million in compensation.
He bet Ye Wanlan didn't have the guts!
Ye Wanlan spoke indifferently, "For crimes of gaining illegal profits for relatives and financial fraud, if you have anything to say, save it for the court."
Ye Wanlan never fought a battle unprepared.