"Mr. Lu, it's better to address each other by our official titles at work, to avoid giving others the opportunity to gossip about the Lu family," a middle-aged man said leisurely, his voice tinged with mockery.
The middle-aged man sat at the head of the table to the left, clearly indicating a status second only to the chairman. Behind this man sat several others, who were today's "rebels."
Seeing these rebels, Lu Yuxin's mood sank to rock bottom, for these people were her own family members, uncles who had repeatedly pressured her and her mother to hand over their shares and the chairman's position.
Leading them was her granduncle, Lu Zhenhai. Since her father's death, Lu Zhenhai had united with other family members to make things difficult for her and her mother, fighting for power and profit.
They even targeted them for being mother and daughter alone, pressuring them to give up the largest share of the Lu Group. At first, it was scheming behind the scenes, but this time they brought it out into the open.
Sitting across from them were other family members and some minor shareholders. Some didn't want to stir up trouble, some didn't want to get involved in the struggle for succession, and others were like grass on the fence, waiting to see the outcome before choosing a side.
Although Lu Yuxin was young, she was very clear about what these people were thinking. However, she and her mother would never give up their shares. If they handed over their shares willingly, how would they face her late father, who had worked so hard to earn them?
"Uncle, what's the meaning of this grand display? Are you trying to make a spectacle of us in front of outsiders?" Lu Yuxin's face was grave, her words questioning.
"A spectacle? Continuously letting you and your mother keep these positions is the true spectacle for outsiders."
"The biggest share of the Lu Group is in the hands of two women, one with a different surname, another who will eventually be married off. The foundation of our Lu Group is in grave danger," Lu Zhenhai said, putting on a guise of righteousness and portraying himself as a great figure concerned with the family's long-term planning.
"Zhenhai is right, the largest shareholder of the Lu Group must bear the Lu surname," other family members echoed in agreement.
"Chairman Xiao, considering your youth, who knows if one day you might..." At this point, a middle-aged woman stood up. She was Lu Zhenhai's sister, adorned with gold and silver, looking very lavish but falling short in comparison to Chairman Xiao.
She paused, revealing a significant smile, "Who knows if one day you might find someone new and remarry. Would you take the Lu family's shares with you when you leave?"
Her words were extremely malicious, and upon hearing them Lu Yuxin felt her blood boiling. After a woman becomes a widow, there's always plenty of idle gossip, but those are usually just private rumors. Now, in an official meeting, her own family members were attacking her so viciously.
Lu Yuxin's anger quickly reached its peak, and she turned to face the woman, pressing towards her step by step.
"Fourth Aunt, don't think I don't know that you've been spreading those rumors. My mother has chosen not to stoop to your level, but now you dare spread rumors at a meeting."
"You malicious woman, you're not just after the shares, you're also jealous of my mother. You're jealous that she's prettier and more able than you are. I'll tell you, even if you wear a hundred pounds of gold, a hundred pounds of jewels, you'll never outshine my mother!" Lu Yuxin fumed, being incredibly impolite, her words like needles directly piercing the woman's heart. If Lin Feng were here, he'd likely give her a thumbs-up, for the CEO knew how to hit where it hurt.
The woman stood up with a bang, knocking the chair behind her far away, as if Lu Yuxin had stepped on her tail.
"You insolent thing, how dare you talk to your elder like that!" she screeched, so frustrated that she placed her hands on her hips and stared down Lu Yuxin, trying to use her seniority to intimidate.
But Lu Yuxin was taller than her, had a better figure, and a larger chest. Lu Yuxin just lifted her chin slightly and puffed her chest out, instantly deflating the Fourth Aunt's aggression.
A shadow passed over the Fourth Aunt's face as she screamed with all her might, "Here you act like a saint, putting on a front. I bet your mom already has several lovers by now, and you've probably gained a few 'bonus dads' too."
Lu Yuxin's eyes turned icy cold, and she lashed out with a slap, which landed heavily on the Fourth Aunt's cheek with a smack. The Fourth Aunt's face immediately swelled up, as Lu Yuxin had almost used all her strength.
Stunned by the slap, the Fourth Aunt paused, then erupted into loud wailing, "She hit me, she hit me! How dare she strike an elder, I'll report this to the entire family and have her expelled from our clan."