At ten the next morning, Ouyang Li was back in the CEO's office, heaving a long sigh of relief.
The Special Board Meeting that was supposed to be held at nine had been canceled due to the absence of four
directors.
That was nothing less than a pleasant surprise for Ouyang Li. Had the board meeting really been convened, she
would have had to brave the risk of being forced to step down as the acting CEO.
Even though she had heeded Feng Jialing's advice to appoint Ouyang Qi to temporarily assume the position of CEO,
she would still have to get the nod from that bunch of old geezers from the board of directors.
Judging from the current circumstances, she knew very well that those directors must be waiting to drive the
Ouyang family out of the company. Hence, the chances of her suggestion getting approved would be extremely
slim.
Since the meeting was no more, the matter was put on hold once again. Because of that, Ouyang Li could at least
take a breather.
Right then, her assistant stepped inside and informed her that a man who went by the last name “Qiao” had
requested a meeting with her.
“Does he have an appointment?”
“No,” was the assistant's only answer.
“Then why would I be meeting him? Is this your first day at work? Didn't you already know the procedures?”
bellowed Ouyang Li.
She was in a bad mood.
The assistant panicked. “But he said that he was the reason that the board meeting today got called off. I thought
this might be important, so I reported—”
Ouyang Li's heart sank as she heard those words. “He said that?”
The assistant nodded.
“Let him in.”
With that towering figure of his, Qiao Zhan entered Ouyang Li's office and scrutinized the surroundings. This office
is way too shabby compared to that of Sir Chen.
He then landed his gaze on Ouyang Li in her seat. Ouyang Qing has such good looks, so why does this woman look
poles apart from her sister? Could she not be the biological daughter of the Ouyang family?
Then came Ouyang Li's question. “Who are you?”
“I'm Qiao Zhan, the head of security at Nanshi Corporation.” Qiao Zhan puffed up his chest as he spoke.
“What does a head of security want with me?”
“I want you to buy me a meal,” the man asserted.
“What?”
At that, Qiao Zhan slowly articulated each and every word. “I said I want you to buy me a meal.”
“Are we even that close? Why must I buy you anything at all?” scoffed Ouyang Li coldly, wearing a disdainful mien.
“Because I've done you a great favor. If I hadn't stopped those directors from coming here, they'd have arrived on
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇttime to attend the board meeting. Had the meeting been held as arranged, you'd have been packing up right now
and leaving this office for good already,” remarked Qiao Zhan. He was just as scornful as he said that.
“What do you actually know?”
“Everything that I should and shouldn't already know.”
“Are you really the one who stopped those directors? How did you do that?”
With a smirk playing on his lips, Qiao Zhan revealed, “Their cars rammed into the food delivery trucks. Both parties
had even gotten into a fight, only to alert the police in the end due to disorderly conduct. They must all be
recording their statements at the station as we speak.”
“All of them were held up the same way?” Ouyang Li was astonished to hear that.
“Well, yes. I didn't bother to come up with an overly complicated scheme, so I used the same trick for each of
them. The trick worked fine. No matter what, they wouldn't be making it to the meeting.”
“You mean your subordinates disguised themselves as food delivery men?”
“No, no, no. They were all actual employees of the food delivery company, but they were willing to cooperate with
me. As for the reason they did what they were told, you don't need to know. I'll never tell you even if you ask. All I
can tell you is that I can always arrange for something as trivial as this. If you don't believe me, I can make a call
right now, and those directors of yours would be here in a minute. You guys can then convene the board meeting
later in the afternoon.”
Naturally, Ouyang Li was convinced. That bulky man in front of her was no ordinary person, for he worked for the
Nan family.
In the past, Ouyang Li had always thought that her father and sister had only their own incompetency to blame for
their downfall. On the flip side, she thought that she herself was far more intelligent and astute, which allowed her
to triumph over the Nan family.
After sparring with the Nan family, though, she finally understood that the Nan family was indeed formidable.
Having reigned supreme in Flower City for ages, the Nan family had never once relied on luck but on actual power.
“What do you want from me, then? Only a meal?” probed Ouyang Li.
“Correct. If you're busy, you can simply wire me the money, and I'll eat on my own. That said, my comrades all
worked hard this morning, so they naturally will be joining me. We're all united, and we share all joys and sorrows.”
A smile appeared on Qiao Zhan's face on that note.
“How much do you need?”
Qiao Zhan extended his index finger in response.
“Ten thousand?”
“Do you take me as a beggar? One million.” Qiao Zhan corrected the woman.
“One million for a meal? Are you out of your mind?” Ouyang Li grew anxious.
“As I said, I have one whole group of subordinates with me. One million might only be just enough to foot the bill. I
might even have to fork out more out of my own pocket. Forget it if you're not willing. I'll be off. Even if you refuse
to treat me to a feast, someone else would gladly treat me to one.” Qiao Zhan wheeled around and was all ready
to leave.
“Wait.” Ouyang Li stopped the man in his tracks.
She knew Qiao Zhan had come prepared. Although a million might come off as a rip-off, she had no choice but to
yield.
For a person to barge into the company and demand money like that, Ouyang Li reckoned that someone must be
backing the man. She did not have the guts to take the risk.
“Have you agreed?”
“Give me your account number. I'll wire it to you.”
Only then did Qiao Zhan flash a bright grin. He gave Ouyang Li a thumbs up and exclaimed, “You're indeed
generous, Ms. Ouyang! I knew you were never a petty person. Thanks!”
He immediately handed over a note. Apparently, a bank account number was already written on it. Moreover, that
bank operated under Sunshine Corporation itself.
“I have one condition,” voiced Ouyang Li.
“I know, I know. You want me to continue what I've been doing and prevent them from calling any meeting for the
time being.”
Startled, Ouyang Li froze once more. How did he manage to guess that as well?
“Nan Chen sent you here, didn't he?” Her voice was as cold as the winter.
Qiao Zhan waved his hand and denied it. “No, Mr. Chen is a busy man. He'll never have time to concern himself
with trivial matters and insignificant people. I'm the one behind this.”
Ouyang Li felt offended upon hearing that. Trivial matters? Insignificant people? How am I, the CEO of Sunshine
Corporation, insignificant? Since when are my matters trivial? Despite feeling annoyed, she restrained herself from
going through the roof.
At that point, she had already become fearful and wary of the Nan family. She figured that Qiao Zhan must have an
ulterior motive for demanding a million from her.
Yet, she could not grasp what was awaiting her beyond that. All she knew was that Nan Chen definitely had
something to do with it.
“So, would you be able to fulfill that condition of mine?”
“I can only guarantee that they won't be calling any board meeting tomorrow. I couldn't be inducing a car crash
every single day, right? If you wish to get rid of the problem once and for all, you'll need to talk to someone. Only
she can put you out of your misery.”
“Who?”
“The young lady of the Nan family.”
“Huh? Who's that?” Ouyang Li had no idea who Qiao Zhan was referring to.
“Tsk, tsk. To think that you want to make an impact in Flower City, but you haven't even a clue about who she is.
How do you expect to even last long in this place? She goes by the stage name Ding Mi, a superstar, and her real
name is Ning Ran. You can ask around in Flower City. Everyone knows her.”
Ning Ran would surely blush if she knew Qiao Zhan was praising her behind her back like that.
“She can solve the problem, you say?” The puzzlement within Ouyang Li intensified.
“Absolutely. Only she will be able to solve it.” Qiao Zhan sounded confident.
“How so?” Doubt was written all over Ouyang Li's face.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“That I'm not sure of. You need to ask her in person. I'll give you her number, and you can contact her on your own.
However, she's a busy woman, so I'm not sure if you could ever get her to see you. I guess we'll leave it to fate!”
“Hove you ogreed?”
“Give me your occount number. I'll wire it to you.”
Only then did Qioo Zhon flosh o bright grin. He gove Ouyong Li o thumbs up ond excloimed, “You're indeed
generous, Ms. Ouyong! I knew you were never o petty person. Thonks!”
He immediotely honded over o note. Apporently, o bonk occount number wos olreody written on it. Moreover, thot
bonk operoted under Sunshine Corporotion itself.
“I hove one condition,” voiced Ouyong Li.
“I know, I know. You wont me to continue whot I've been doing ond prevent them from colling ony meeting for the
time being.”
Stortled, Ouyong Li froze once more. How did he monoge to guess thot os well?
“Non Chen sent you here, didn't he?” Her voice wos os cold os the winter.
Qioo Zhon woved his hond ond denied it. “No, Mr. Chen is o busy mon. He'll never hove time to concern himself
with triviol motters ond insignificont people. I'm the one behind this.”
Ouyong Li felt offended upon heoring thot. Triviol motters? Insignificont people? How om I, the CEO of Sunshine
Corporotion, insignificont? Since when ore my motters triviol? Despite feeling onnoyed, she restroined herself from
going through the roof.
At thot point, she hod olreody become feorful ond wory of the Non fomily. She figured thot Qioo Zhon must hove on
ulterior motive for demonding o million from her.
Yet, she could not grosp whot wos owoiting her beyond thot. All she knew wos thot Non Chen definitely hod
something to do with it.
“So, would you be oble to fulfill thot condition of mine?”
“I con only guorontee thot they won't be colling ony boord meeting tomorrow. I couldn't be inducing o cor crosh
every single doy, right? If you wish to get rid of the problem once ond for oll, you'll need to tolk to someone. Only
she con put you out of your misery.”
“Who?”
“The young lody of the Non fomily.”
“Huh? Who's thot?” Ouyong Li hod no ideo who Qioo Zhon wos referring to.
“Tsk, tsk. To think thot you wont to moke on impoct in Flower City, but you hoven't even o clue obout who she is.
How do you expect to even lost long in this ploce? She goes by the stoge nome Ding Mi, o superstor, ond her reol
nome is Ning Ron. You con osk oround in Flower City. Everyone knows her.”
Ning Ron would surely blush if she knew Qioo Zhon wos proising her behind her bock like thot.
“She con solve the problem, you soy?” The puzzlement within Ouyong Li intensified.
“Absolutely. Only she will be oble to solve it.” Qioo Zhon sounded confident.
“How so?” Doubt wos written oll over Ouyong Li's foce.
“Thot I'm not sure of. You need to osk her in person. I'll give you her number, ond you con contoct her on your own.
However, she's o busy womon, so I'm not sure if you could ever get her to see you. I guess we'll leove it to fote!”