Chapter 20: A Fruitless Endeavor

Upon learning that Jiang Ming was the granddaughter of the venerable Mr. Jiang, Xie Zheng, out of respect for the old man, refrained from further remarks. "So you’re General Manager Jiang’s granddaughter. Tell me, why would a young lady like you choose to work hard like us old-timers instead of living a comfortable life?"

"Has the spring breeze of reform and opening up not reached your home yet?" he added.

Jiang Ming was not one to fall for such rhetoric—indeed, she despised it. She wondered how he could shamelessly utter such words, coming from a parasite who had climbed high solely through family ties and accomplished nothing.

"What spring breeze are you talking about..." Xie Zheng instinctively retorted, then realized Jiang Ming’s point. "I’m not going to argue with you!"

This suited Jiang Ming perfectly. If she was merely a figurehead in the company, she might as well fulfill that role well.

Within five minutes, every seat in the conference room was filled; no one was absent.

“It seems you all can still get the message,” Xie Yan said, uninterested in quarreling, and had them begin their departmental reports.

The Finance Department went first. As soon as the last quarter’s financial report was submitted, Xie Yan noticed something amiss. Without pointing it out, he listened quietly, curious how they would explain.

“General Manager Xie, that’s basically all. Overall profits last quarter were quite reasonable,” the spokesperson said, assuming Xie Yan wouldn’t catch any problems—after all, he was just a sophomore, supposedly ignorant of the complexities of running a company.

“Is that all? Nothing to clarify?” Xie Yan gave him one last chance.

“No, that’s all,” the spokesperson replied confidently, thinking Xie Yan was just going through the motions, and prepared to step down.

“Wait,” Xie Yan said. “Since you say there’s no problem, let me ask you this: who pocketed the extra one million in expenses?”

The sudden question visibly unsettled some in the room. They hadn’t realized Xie Yan had obtained all the previous quarter’s financial documents a day in advance and had thoroughly reviewed them, allowing him to spot discrepancies today.

“Don’t tell me it was the accountants. They wouldn’t dare cook the books on this scale,” Xie Yan remarked.

Clearly, someone had added that sum afterward; this version differed completely from the one Xie Yan had seen the night before.

“I… General Manager Xie, this one million…” the spokesperson fumbled through his papers, his mind racing to concoct an excuse.

“If you don’t know how to explain, I’ll do it for you. If I’m not mistaken, this money should have ended up in Vice General Manager Xie’s pocket. Over the years, everyone here knows how new employees joined the company. We at the Xie family don’t keep idlers. For this group, either you resign or improve your capabilities.”

“Looks like this meeting can’t continue. Each department, send me your truthful summaries by seven tonight.”

With less than ten hours until seven, ten hours would normally be ample time to organize the reports, yet everyone in the room looked troubled.

Xie Yan gave no room for negotiation and left the conference room in advance.

Outside, his executive assistant, Wu Tao, approached him. “Young General Manager Xie, there’s a cooperation meeting with the Li family at eleven at Chang Ji Restaurant.”

Wu Tao, nearly fifty this year, had worked with the late Mr. Xie since joining the company. After Mr. Xie retired, Xie Jun refused to take over, so all affairs fell to Xie Zheng. During those years, Wu Tao had been an invisible figure in the company.

The first thing Xie Yan did upon taking charge was to bring Wu Tao back into the fold.

“Why at Chang Ji Restaurant?”

Chang Ji was notorious as a red-light district disguised as a restaurant. On the surface, it was just a dining establishment; behind the scenes, it engaged in unsavory dealings, yet no evidence could be found. It operated openly in Lin City, but respectable businesspeople never met there.

“It was the Vice General Manager’s choice. It’s probably too late to change it now.”

It was already half past ten; the Li family might have arrived there. Xie Yan decided not to say more.

“When we get there, don’t leave my sight.”

The place was a den of mixed characters. This was Jiang Ming’s first time accompanying him to a business meeting, so caution was warranted.

“General Manager Xie, welcome!”

Pushing open the private room door, Li Gongran came out with a fawning smile. If not for the many expensive gifts he had secretly given Xie Zheng, this cooperation would never have come to the Li family.

He thought Xie Zheng had arrived and eagerly approached him before he was even seated.

But when he took a closer look, it was Xie Yan who entered, followed by Jiang Ming—the very woman who had ruined his brother’s reputation and was supposed to become his sister-in-law.

Xie Yan didn’t shake his hand, merely nodded, then offered the seat of honor to Jiang Ming and sat closely beside her.

“Haha, I didn’t expect Young General Manager Xie here. I didn’t know when General Manager Xie would arrive.”

Just a student yet to graduate, Li Gongran still didn’t take him seriously, thinking these two were just following their elders out for experience.

“He won’t be coming. It’s just the two of us today.”

Xie Yan signaled Wu Tao to place the compiled documents before Li Gongran. “As far as I know, your company has been operating at a loss for the past year. Your production technology and capital chain don’t meet the requirements for cooperation with the Xie family. I wonder where this agreement even came from.”

The Xie family’s business spanned many fields. This cooperation with the Li family was meant to launch a new tech product, with the Xie family providing technical and financial support while the Li family handled production. According to the original agreement with Xie Zheng, today’s meeting was just to sign the contract.

“I must frankly inform you that this contract cannot be signed. The Xie family does not need a partner without competitiveness or production capacity.”

“But you had already agreed! How can you go back on your word? You’ve taken so many benefits from me…”

Li Gongran flew into a rage. Although Xie Yan’s words were true, he had lavished so many resources to please Xie Zheng that if the deal fell through, all that effort would be wasted. If his family found out, he might lose his position.

Soon, he realized he had let slip something he shouldn’t have.

This was exactly what Xie Yan expected: Xie Zheng had accepted bribes.

“Whoever took it, go get it back from them.”

“I’ve already settled the accounts. Do as you please, General Manager Li.”

With that, they turned and left, leaving Li Gongran alone.

After they left, Li Gongran immediately called Xie Zheng. “Didn’t you say the contract was just one step away? Why are you going back on your word?”

“General Manager Li, don’t be angry. Xie Yan is only temporarily in charge. Once he holds the meeting, our cooperation will proceed as before.”

Afraid Li Gongran might act rashly, he tried to calm him for the time being.

However, Xie Yan could not remain in the company long; if he stayed, he would have no place there.