Chapter 114: Are You Really an Information Broker?!

Chapter 114: Are You Really an Information Broker?!

Madam Su left the conference room.

Su Qingying then declared the meeting adjourned. On the dismissal of Zhou Da and Yang Kuo she chose to set the matter aside for the moment. She had the authority to dismiss them outright and could have done it there and then, but the whole purpose of her attack had been to find a reason to call a board meeting.

So even though the matter needn’t go before the board, she still had to take it there.

The others in the room rose one after another and filed out. Hardly anyone spoke, but in twos and threes they traded glances, and only once they were through the door did bursts of low murmuring start up outside.

“Does anyone know what’s going on?”

“Miss Su and Madam Su, she—”

Su Qingying was still gathering the things in front of her. She turned and handed them to her assistant-secretary, then said, “You go on ahead.”

She sent everyone else out and remained in the conference room herself.

Very soon the room was empty.

Only Su Qingying and one other person were left. In her mind she couldn’t help hearing again what Wu Chen had told her before bed last night: “After the meeting ends, don’t leave. Tang Deyang may stay behind. He’ll certainly have something he wants to say to you.”

The one who stayed was Tang Deyang.

Wu Chen had also told Su Qingying that on Jinfu Group’s board of directors, although most of the time nobody dared defy Su Ruiwen, if one looked closely, some were other people’s followers and some were fence-sitters.

And there were others who would support Su Qingying as soon as she showed her attitude.

“Second Uncle.” Su Qingying turned to Tang Deyang, seated in his chair like Maitreya Buddha. “Not leaving?”

“Qingying.” Tang Deyang’s smile was kind, with something benevolent about it. He wasn’t truly that old, and in his youth his temper had been fierce, but years of illness and steadily worsening health had gentled his nature.

“You really have grown up,” he said with a sigh.

“Second Uncle thinks what I did today was wrong?” Su Qingying asked.

“Right… and not right, I suppose.” Tang Deyang nodded, then shook his head. “Your mother’s need for control is too strong. She’s a good woman. It was your father’s good fortune to marry her. But it’s been so many years now, and you’ve grown up…”

He didn’t go on.

In truth, for all these years he had held opinions about Madam Su. It had to do with how she had pushed several company elders out back then, and with her style across all the years since.

Though Tang Deyang understood that Sister-in-law had done nothing wrong.

But… when it came to brotherly feeling, how could anything be settled by right and wrong?

Of course, knotted as his heart was, Tang Deyang had never opposed Madam Su, because he had always moved in lockstep with Su Ruiwen.

“Actually, what you did today…” He weighed it, then looked at her and smiled. “It wasn’t wrong. Who knows whether your father or I will go first? There aren’t many years left. You are certainly going to be the head of Jinfu in future. You should have your own judgment. You should stand on your own, not simply do as you’re told, whoever is telling you… The fear is that when you’re thirty or forty your mother will still be managing you this way. How could you, like that, possibly run the company well…”

Some things Tang Deyang knew perfectly well in his heart. As a bystander he saw them clearly and understood them. But they were awkward to say—awkward even to say to Su Ruiwen.

“However! The timing you chose is wrong,” Tang Deyang went on. “Far too sudden. Your mother was entirely unprepared, and so were you. You simply went against her so bluntly, with nothing prepared. If you fail this time, it will be hard for you later.”

Su Qingying said nothing.

Wu Chen had told her that certain things need not be disclosed to Tang Deyang in advance.

Disclosing them early might cause problems instead.

Tang Deyang might even pass word to her father, Su Ruiwen. Not necessarily out of malice—but for a situation this large, if Tang Deyang knew, he would certainly tell his elder brother.

“All right. It’s done, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You were born with a golden spoon in your mouth and everything has gone too smoothly for you. A little setback is good. It isn’t a bad thing for you…”

Tang Deyang smiled and offered a few more words of comfort to Su Qingying, who seemed lost in her own thoughts.

Then he braced both hands on the chair, meaning to stand.

He was too fat. Without his hands to push against, he couldn’t get up in one go.

Su Qingying rose quickly and went over to help him.

At the same time.

At the far end of the corridor on the other side of the conference room, Madam Su stood by a window, on the phone.

“…No, no need for you to speak to her. I’ll handle it. You just focus on your meetings in the capital. The girl was only put up to it by Li Ruobing. Once I’ve suppressed her at the board meeting she’ll behave. Mm… Honey, mind your health. Have you taken your medicine? Mm…”

Madam Su finished the call in a gentle tone. Then her face darkened again, her expression cold as she looked out through the tower window.

She had already told her husband Su Ruiwen what had happened today. Su Ruiwen had wanted to call his daughter directly, and Madam Su had not allowed it. For something like this to happen while her husband was away meant she had failed to discipline their daughter properly. She would personally wake her daughter up.

—

Huancai Fashion, the president’s office.

Wu Chen was still chatting privately with No Envy by the Abyss.

Xingchen: Mm… I have a question. Why did you come to me? It’s strange. Why not find someone local in Modu? That would be convenient. I only joined the group today and you came straight to me…

No Envy by the Abyss: Teacher Xingchen, I have looked. It isn’t that I haven’t. But… Xinxin has already driven several of them off. The ones I found for her were all local famous teachers. They’re all in the same circle, all from the Artists Association. Word goes back and forth, and now if I want to find someone good again, nobody is willing to come.

No Envy by the Abyss: But don’t worry, Teacher Xingchen. This time I’ve hardened my heart too. If you come and Xinxin dares make trouble with you, you can hit her or scold her—whatever you like. Let’s see whether she still dares go against me this time…

No Envy by the Abyss: Can you come, Teacher Xingchen? You needn’t worry about living arrangements. I’ll rent a place for you and see everything properly arranged. If it’s a question of price, I can add more. How about another thousand per lesson? Three thousand for one class hour!

Urgent to the extreme.

Because her daughter was her life.

Wu Chen paused, then replied: I’ll consider it. I may go to Modu after a while. But don’t wait for me—it isn’t settled. If you need to keep looking for a teacher for the child, then keep looking…

No Envy by the Abyss: All right, all right. Then let’s leave it at that. If you come to Modu you must come and see my child. She really is so talented… Teacher Xingchen, I’ve sent you a friend request. Please accept it.

Xingchen: All right.

End of chat.

Wu Chen exited the chat window, checked the friend request, and added No Envy by the Abyss.

He put the phone away and stood.

“Are you really an information broker?!” Li Ruobing’s voice came, cool and faint.

She had finished looking at his drawing long ago. But seeing that he seemed to be chatting with someone on his phone, she hadn’t taken the initiative to ask. She didn’t want to let Wu Chen see that the drawing had shaken her.

Now that he was about to leave, she finally spoke.

“When have you ever truly, completely believed that I’m an information broker?” Wu Chen looked at her, smiled, and turned the question back.

It genuinely stumped her.

Indeed—whatever Li Ruobing said aloud, deep down she had always kept a measure of suspicion toward Wu Chen. A man had appeared out of nowhere who seemed to know everything, seemed to understand everything.

As long as Li Ruobing’s mind was functioning, it was impossible for her to trust Wu Chen completely.

Though she did believe he wouldn’t hurt her. That much could be confirmed.

“All right. I still have things to do. We’ll talk later.” Wu Chen smiled again, straightened his suit a little, and walked straight out of the office.

Li Ruobing’s gaze followed him until he disappeared beyond the door.

Downstairs.

Into the car.

Once the Lamborghini was started, Wu Chen took out his phone again, dialed a number quickly, and put it to his ear.

“Beep… beep… Sorry, the number you have dialed—”

The other side hadn’t answered. He’d hung up outright.

Wu Chen called again.

Still no answer.

Again.

On the third attempt the other side finally picked up.

“Who are you looking for?” A wary male voice.

“Is being a double agent fun?” Wu Chen said lightly, smiling, as he drove out of the garage. “Tell me—if Ding Ruilong or Li Ruotai, either one of them, found out about this, how do you think you’d die?”

“You! Stop talking nonsense! Who the hell are you? I don’t know the people you’re talking about!” The man’s tone turned agitated in an instant, and he denied it with everything he had.