Chapter 90: Revenge Does Not Wait Overnight

Chapter 90: Chapter 90: Revenge Does Not Wait Overnight

Good heavens! The injustice!

’So this is the day an only son falls from grace,’ he thought. ’I never saw it coming!’

His mom added that she would take Zhao Xiangjun to the high-speed rail station that afternoon, so he shouldn’t worry. She also told him not to interrupt their shopping spree before abruptly hanging up.

Chen Xiao was fuming but had no outlet for his anger. After a moment’s thought, he finally muttered, "Peng Yu, you old bastard. You just wait. I’m going to ruin you."

At the Wansheng Group regional headquarters, Peng Yu received a report from one of his subordinates.

The Yinuo Jiangzhou Branch had sent an official letter responding to Wansheng’s demand that they close their store for a fire safety overhaul.

The response demanded that Wansheng Group compensate them for any losses, as all blueprints had to be reviewed and approved by the mall before construction could begin.

Attached to the back of the letter was a photocopy of the originally signed blueprints.

After reading it, Peng Yu tossed the letter aside. "They renovated three years ago and they still kept this stuff. Someone’s certainly meticulous!"

"Ignore them. Shut down the store as planned. Let them protest a few times before allowing them to reopen. But have your operations department pay close attention to their management. Help them ’improve’ a bit more."

"Also, from now on, exclude the ’Yi Rui’ brand from all mall-wide promotional events!"

"That store’s lease is up for renewal in three months. Hike the rent by fifty percent. If they accept, let them stay. If not, they can get the hell out!"

Peng Yu issued a series of directives. After his subordinate left, he leaned back in his executive chair, propped his feet up on the desk, and took a long drag from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke.

’A tiny little brand. As if I can’t crush you.’

And he was right. If a retail brand was tormented like this a few times, it would be completely ruined.

First, with the store opening one day and closing the next, many customers would take their business elsewhere.

Second, if the mall’s operations team was constantly finding fault with you, how could you possibly run your business in peace?

The mall would exclude your brand from all major events, not even including it in promotional materials. During major holidays, when sales were highest, you’d be dead in the water.

Finally, with the rent hiked by half, even if you pinched your nose and accepted it, could you really continue to operate with all the other issues piled on top?

And if you didn’t accept, it would be the perfect excuse to kick you out. There was a long line of people waiting for a spot in this mall. Whoever got it would be eternally grateful and would certainly have to express their "sincerity" in a big way.

Chen Xiao went to Feng Feifei’s office to tell her the partnership with Yino Group was finalized. But even as much as Feng Feifei trusted him, she still found it a bit outrageous.

This was a hundred-million-yuan project, after all. How could it be settled so frivolously, as if it were child’s play?

Chen Xiao could only explain that their CEO had already approved it and the Chairman had given his consent. Only then were her worries assuaged.

She arranged for the legal department to draft the partnership agreement and had Hou Fei begin preparations for the project.

This was incredibly good news. A hundred-million-yuan project was enough to propel the company’s development up several tiers.

And the company’s success was tied to the growth of every single one of its members.

Even Hou Fei was grinning from ear to ear. He clapped Chen Xiao on the shoulder and said, "This project is so nice!"

Then he asked Chen Xiao, "Do you know why the negotiations went so smoothly? It’s not logical."

Of course, Chen Xiao knew why, but he couldn’t say. He could only claim he wasn’t sure and that it was probably just luck.

He was just trying to be dismissive, but Hou Fei replied with great solemnity, "That’s the wrong way to look at it. Let me tell you, the reason this project went so smoothly is entirely because our business plan demonstrated an extremely high level of professionalism. They were completely convinced after just one look!"

’Convinced my ass,’ Chen Xiao thought. ’Stop bullshitting. They haven’t even looked at it yet.’

Chen Xiao couldn’t be bothered to reply; just listening to the man made him want to curse. He told Feng Feifei he had to step out for something.

These days, Feng Feifei didn’t manage him at all. He could do whatever he wanted.

After he left, Hou Fei sighed and said to Feng Feifei, "Chen Xiao is great in every way, and his business skills are outstanding. He’s just not humble enough. Some things could clearly be done more perfectly."

Feng Feifei didn’t know how to respond. ’This senior of hers was highly skilled technically, but it was like his CPU had burned out.’

Chen Xiao headed for Yunfeng Building. As they say, revenge shouldn’t wait overnight. He hadn’t had many enemies before—in fact, you could say he had none. But now, that old bastard Peng Yu was in his sights.

On the way, he called Liu Haoran and asked if he had time to come over for a chat.

’Of course Liu Haoran had time. What could be more important than meeting the big boss’s boss? If there was one thing, it would be meeting the big boss’s boyfriend—a boyfriend whose every word the big boss absolutely obeyed.’

Chen Xiao sent him the address. After a moment’s thought, he told him to bring Zhao Hui along.

Next, he called Xu Wu and told her to contact the owner and head chef of Old Jia Restaurant. He wanted to book the chef for the day and have him come cook at the Celestial Star Pavilion; Chen Xiao would be hosting guests there that evening.

That afternoon, Zhao Hui was in Qin Wei’s office, learning about logistics.

He received a call saying President Liu was looking for him. Under Qin Wei’s puzzled gaze, he went to Liu Haoran’s office.

Every time he went to Liu Haoran’s office, Zhao Hui couldn’t help but feel nervous. The office was just too impressive.

The office was nearly 100 square meters and decorated in a modern, minimalist style—chic and grand. ’To enjoy such a work environment just once,’ Zhao Hui thought, ’would make my whole life feel worthwhile.’

"Zhao Hui, you’re here. Have a seat for a moment. I need to send this report back to headquarters, and then we’ll head out."

Seeing him enter, Liu Haoran cordially motioned for him to sit, then buried his head back in his work, rushing to finish.

Zhao Hui sat there quietly by himself, wondering, ’Where is President Liu planning to take me?’

’The last time at Wansheng Square, I kicked that guy Peng Yu. I heard from people at the company that the mall is now demanding our store close for a fire safety overhaul.’

’This has caused the company huge losses, and there’s a lot of gossip going around. Everyone thinks I’ve caused a huge disaster, and many are just waiting to see me become a laughingstock.’

’Even the few people in the logistics department who were usually close to me have been avoiding me the past two days, afraid of getting dragged into it.’

He had knocked around on the streets for years. Although he didn’t have a high level of education, he had high emotional intelligence and was very perceptive. He could keenly sense an undercurrent forming.

For a leader like him who had been "parachuted" in, even though everyone was respectful to his face, he knew that in private some were jealous, some were waiting for a good show, and some were eager to watch the office politics unfold.

’Even Qin Wei hasn’t been as friendly these past two days. He probably thinks my good days are numbered.’

Thinking about all this, he guessed President Liu might be taking him to Wansheng Square to apologize. ’If that’s the case,’ he thought, ’I’ll have to refuse!’

’If it were just about me, or if Peng Yu had been threatening someone else that day, I, Zhao Hui, would be willing to apologize for the company’s sake. I’d even get on my knees and beg for forgiveness.’

’After all, the company has treated me well. I can’t let my personal affairs drag the company down!’

’But not this time. The person Peng Yu was menacing that day was my sister. The same sister who started working away from home before she was even an adult to take care of our parents and our family.’

’The same sister who, holding no grudges, still stood up to help her brother the moment he wanted to turn his life around, no matter what a bastard he had been!’