Song Yuwei looked at Qin Han with a face full of fear, her left hand subconsciously clutching at Qin Han's trouser leg, gently shaking her head and whispered, "Qin Han, stop talking. Please, I'm begging you!"
When Qin Han finished speaking, the atmosphere was filled with only a small murmur of whispers. The Song family members weren't fools, even if they usually flattered the eldest Young Master Song, but who truly brought in the major business for Song Group was clear to everyone. It's just that…
"Let her go? Qin Han, didn't you hear that grandma and father have already appointed me to discuss this partnership?" Seeing the expressions of the Song family members, Song Yuzhe's face instantly darkened.
This damned Qin Han, what's gotten into him today? How dare he constantly steal my thunder.
Qin Han didn't even glance at Song Yuzhe and retorted directly.
"You just heard, the Family Head has already said, it doesn't matter who, even if it's not Yu Wei, any other member of the Song family can do it. Whoever signs with Wanhua Company, whoever! Will be the president of the new department! Do you think that just because of your status as the Song family's eldest young master, success is guaranteed if you go? Or…"
Qin Han paused mid-sentence, and then he spoke an utterly shocking statement.
"Or do you want to use your identity as the Song family's eldest young master to prevent others from negotiating business, not allowing anyone else to rise to the position? The Song family has reached today's scale, and I believe the Family Head would certainly not practice nepotism, the executive positions belong to the capable!"
"You!" Song Yuzhe trembled with rage, but couldn't utter a single word.
"May I ask the Family Head, is it so?"
After speaking, Qin Han surveyed everyone in the hall with his eyes, finally resting his gaze on the Family Head, Song Yuanqiao.
Song Yuanqiao was somewhat surprised; he actually saw Qin Han grabbing Song Yuzhe by the neck earlier, but at this moment, Qin Han's reasoned and confident speech, assertive without being overbearing, was entirely different from his previous demeanor!
In contrast, Song Yuzhe had been rendered speechless by a few of Qin Han's scathing remarks.
"Correct! My Song family has always adopted a competitive principle of survival of the fittest! Whoever among you seated here today can sign Wanhua Company will be the president of the new department!"
Song Yuanqiao once again confirmed this matter at the family gathering.
"Great! Then let Yu Zhe and Yu Wei both give it a try, let's see who among them can sign Wanhua Company first!" The Song family's patriarch said with a smile, fully believing that her own grandson, Song Yuzhe, would surely triumph.
"Yu Wei! Do you dare to take on this contract?" Song Yuanqiao looked at Song Yuwei with piercing eyes.
Upon hearing the voice, Song Yuwei looked up at Song Yuanqiao and for the first time, she saw encouragement filling the eyes of her adoptive father.
Qin Han lowered his head to look at her as well, giving her a "you can definitely do it" look, making Song Yuwei perceive for the first time how bright and spirited Qin Han's eyes were.
It was also the first time she felt that in front of the entire family, Qin Han was shielding her from the wind and rain. Was heaven really looking out for her, taking pity on her?
"Mommy, you can do it!" Di Di, who was in Song Yuwei's arms, also made a cheering gesture to his mother.
Exhaling a long breath, Song Yuwei stood up, holding Di Di in her arms, with the confidence she usually had when negotiating business. For the first time in over twenty years, she stood tall in front of her family members and declared loudly.
"I will definitely sign Wanhua Company!"
"Bitch! What is your status? You dare compete with Yu Zhe for the president's position?"
Just as Song Yuwei finished speaking, her stepmother Lu Huixi abruptly slammed the table, stood up, and pointed at Song Yuwei's nose, cursing loudly.
"Since when did the Song family start taking orders from an outsider, Qin Han, have you forgotten who you are?"
Lu Huixi strode out from her seat, stood in the aisle, hands on her hips, and pointed at Qin Han as she yelled furiously, completely lacking the demeanor of the Song family head's wife, instead looking more like a shrew scolding people on the street.
"Who am I? Today I'll tell you, and also everyone present, I am Song Yuwei's husband. I was the jerk who let her and her child bear the brunt of contempt, but I will never let them suffer the slightest grievance again! No one can!"
In response to Lu Huixi's cursing, Qin Han chose not to remain silent; on the contrary, he declared his pledge with conviction.
"Hahaha, you? I know you're a jerk, but you say you'll take care of the two of them from now on, is your head messed up from someone hitting you?" Lu Huixi laughed uproariously, as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world, standing in the aisle.
With Lu Huixi taking the lead, the Song family members resumed their mockery of Song Yuwei's family.
"A loser turns over a new leaf? This year's gathering, this loser's posturing seems more grandiose than in previous years!"
"And Yu Wei too, why would she try to compete with Yu Zhe? The Song family giving her a meal to eat is already more than charitable."
"Exactly, is it really a case of 'follow the husband' regardless of who he is?"
"Enough! Stop the arguing, let's start the meal!" Seeing the situation get increasingly out of hand, Song Yuanqiao had no choice but to intervene and announced the start of the meal ahead of time.
The momentum that Song Yuwei had barely mustered deflated in an instant, and she sat down in her chair, powerless. Indeed, the people of the Song family wouldn't change just because she had changed.
She wanted to say she wasn't after the position of CEO. She just wanted to retrieve this crucial deal for the Song family, but no one gave her the chance to speak.
Qin Han, on the other hand, was nonchalant. When he heard the command to start the meal, he eagerly began to enjoy the feast with Diu Diu, completely ignoring what others might think, merely focusing on piling up delicious food for Diu Diu.
Watching Diu Diu eat joyfully, Qin Han, the lofty Sect Leader of Holy Medicine Sect, never imagined that he would, for a child, perform a scene of such indulgence.
He occasionally put food into Song Yuwei's bowl, gesturing her to eat more. At that moment, Song Yuwei had no appetite, but seeing Diu Diu's happiness, she symbolically took a few bites. The family appeared to be in harmony, and for a moment, it was as if a long-lost warmth returned.
Qin Han's few words were eye-opening for Song Yuwei. She didn't know where he had suddenly found such courage. Nevertheless, today's family gathering seemed a bit different.
But, as always, happiness doesn't last long, and the hard-won warmth was shattered by inappropriate, hushed murmuring.
"I heard that Song Yuwei lands deals by using the 'bedsheet' strategy."
"What do you mean 'heard' ? It's true. How else can a nobody like her close so many contracts? In this day and age, as long as you're willing to let loose, the contracts just pile up."
Struck by these words like a bolt of lightning, Song Yuwei felt devastated. The contracts she had worked so hard for were being spoken about in such a manner, and her eyes welled up with tears of frustration. At that moment, Diu Diu was excitedly gesturing in Qin Han's arms, and wanting not to spoil Diu Diu's mood, Song Yuwei stood up.
"I'm going to the restroom," Song Yuwei said, forcing a smile.
Qin Han watched Song Yuwei walk away, his keen perception allowing him to discern the mood from her expression; he knew someone must have made another unpleasant remark.
However, he understood that changing the Song family's attitude towards her wasn't something that could happen overnight, so he didn't dwell on it and continued to play the role of the doting father.
"Get lost, what do you think you're doing?" Just as Qin Han was shelling shrimp for Diu Diu, an angry voice erupted.
Qin Han's eyes turned steely; he recognized that it was Song Yuwei's voice.