“…In accordance with company policy, all personnel involved have received the maximum penalties. The heads of the market department and marketing department have both been removed. Legal will provide a detailed response on the matters involving the law within a week.”
In the spacious, brightly lit conference room, Zhao Meng, the vice president overseeing human resources, looked toward the man at the head of the table.
“As for the specific action against Vice President Lin, our CFO, we need your decision, Chairman.”
“Follow company policy. Maximum penalty.”
“…”
Surprise flickered through Zhao Meng’s eyes before she promptly replied, “Understood, Chairman Xiao.”
“I disagree.”
Another voice rang out as soon as she finished.
Everyone turned toward the man seated to Xiao Yi’s left. Dressed in a suit, his handsome features stern, he was staring darkly at the man at the head of the table.
It was Xiao Ji, the group’s vice president of operations.
The room instantly fell silent.
Ever since board member Xiao Guangjin had been imprisoned over financial misconduct, the once-close uncle and nephew had become bitterly opposed. They greeted each other with cold faces, and their exchanges in meetings were positively combative.
Vice President Xiao looked grim every day. Chairman Xiao remained outwardly indifferent, but yielded nothing.
Now that Vice President Lin, a longtime company veteran, was involved, everyone understood this to be another consequence of the internal power struggle.
They barely dared breathe, terrified of getting caught in it.
“Vice President Lin may share responsibility, but he isn’t the principal offender, nor did he knowingly participate in the embezzlement. He’s also a company veteran. Imposing the maximum penalty is unnecessarily harsh. Internally, the board will object and employees will resent it. Externally, it damages the group’s image and makes us look as though we discard people once they’ve served their purpose.”
“Discarding people once they’ve served their purpose…”
Xiao Yi tapped a fingertip against the table.
“I thought the group had no use for so many idiots.”
Xiao Ji’s expression turned ugly. Suppressing his anger, he demanded, “Is he too stupid, or are you too clever, Chairman Xiao?”
Everyone in the room held their breath. Cold sweat broke out.
Xiao Yi’s expression remained unchanged. Sitting upright, he quietly regarded his young nephew.
“Are you accusing me?”
Xiao Ji’s face tightened. He said nothing.
“Vice President Xiao seems to have plenty of free time. You must be quite confident about CIVL’s first round of testing. I hope the results meet expectations. Otherwise, its budget will be halved next quarter.”
“Any other questions?”
“If not, meeting adjourned.”
“…”
The department executives left one after another.
Silence settled over the room. Yang Xuan tactfully stepped outside and closed the door, leaving only the uncle and nephew.
After a moment’s standoff, Xiao Yi spoke first.
“You think my handling of Lin Xiantan was unreasonable?”
“Yes.” Xiao Ji refused to yield. “Xiao Guangjin deserved to be arrested, but Uncle Lin was merely being used. You can’t take this opportunity to remove him just because he’s one of Grandfather’s people.”
“If you were that stupid, I’d fire you too.”
Xiao Yi stood and walked over to him.
“Xiao Group has long since ceased to be the Xiao family’s private property. Countless people depend on it for their livelihoods. Lin Xiantan has certainly worked hard and contributed a great deal. But his mistake was thinking he could play dumb, collect favors and benefits, then count on our history to make me let him off.”
“Once, twice—but not a third time. Someone who makes a mistake once can make it again—”
“And what about you, Uncle?”
Xiao Ji abruptly interrupted him.
“Have you never made a mistake? Never regretted anything?”
“No.”
Xiao Yi met his gaze, his green eyes calm.
“After all, I haven’t been caught by my current partner hugging and kissing an ex in a café.”
“…”
Xiao Ji stood there, his expression dark.
He had only ever seen Xiao Yi mock other people with such lofty contempt. He had never imagined that one day it would be directed at him.
Worse still, he could now see a trace of Song Liang in his uncle.
He drew a deep breath and forced himself to remain patient.
“Nothing inappropriate is going on between Xu Huan and me. What happened that day was a misunderstanding. I’ll explain it to Song Liang.”
“No one’s stopping you.”
“I can’t even get into the villa—”
Xiao Ji gritted his teeth, apparently struggling to say the rest.
“Do you know what people are saying? What exactly is Song Liang to you? Some poor little canary you’ve locked in a cage? Have you considered whether he even wants to be with you?”
Xiao Yi thought about the canary at home who stayed up gaming every night and never spared him a second glance.
For a moment, he had nothing to say.
His silence made Xiao Ji anxious.
“Uncle,” he called softly.
Xiao Yi paused and looked at him for a few seconds.
Then he said, “As you wish,” and left the conference room.
Xiao Ji immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Yi had barely stepped out when Yang Xun called.
“Someone slipped off to see Xiao Musheng while you were at work. Song Zhicheng took him there.”
Yang Xun’s voice dripped with mockery.
“What’s your opinion, Chairman Xiao?”
“He never slips off anywhere,” Xiao Yi replied calmly.
Yang Xun: “…”
Remembering Song Liang’s flashy outfit and spectacular Ferrari when he left the house, Yang Xun gritted his teeth.
Damn it. He was right.
“Is that the point??? The point is that he chose Xiao Ji and gave you up! You’ve been cheated on—no, he’s gone back to cheating on you instead!”
Xiao Yi held the phone away from the shouting and ended the call.
The villa’s staff had grown accustomed to his early departures and late returns. Seeing him home so early today, with Xiao Ji in tow, Aunt Jiang couldn’t stop smiling.
Xiao Ji surveyed the once-immaculate villa, now cluttered everywhere with traces of a certain person.
“Where’s Song Liang?”
Aunt Jiang pointed upstairs, clearly used to this.
“Just got back from roaring around town in his sports car. He’s upstairs gaming.”
Xiao Ji: “…”
He suddenly remembered standing in the conference room earlier that day, declaring to his uncle that his fiancé had become a pitiful, imprisoned canary.
He fell silent.
Xiao Yi’s expression didn’t change. He headed straight upstairs.
Xiao Ji hesitated, then followed.
Song Liang had heard the commotion downstairs and guessed that Xiao Yi had come home early.
He hurried into the bathroom, showered with pleasantly scented body wash, and put on a robe that exposed a large expanse of his chest.
As the knock sounded, he adjusted the neckline and copied a suggestive photo 3085 had found online, leaning against the wall in a seductive pose.
“It’s unlocked. Come in~”
The person outside seemed stunned by his lilting invitation. After a brief silence, the door slowly opened.
Song Liang curved his waist into an S and cast a flirtatious look at the man outside.
“Welcome home, Uncle~”
“…”
Xiao Yi’s pupils trembled slightly.
He stood in the doorway without moving.
Song Liang: 【Why isn’t he reacting?】
【A gift just dropped into his lap. He’s so delighted he’s stunned.】
Understanding dawned.
Song Liang decided to turn up the heat. He reached to pull his robe, already open to his navel, a little farther apart.
Then he caught sight of another figure behind Xiao Yi.
Tilting his head, he saw his fiancé’s face.
Shocked speechless.
Song Liang: “…”
【…】
Well.
This had gone spectacularly wrong.
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