The voice on the other end of the line explained helplessly, "Young President Xu, the situation is complicated. Not only have they won praise and publicity from China Television, we can't find any other dirt to use against them."
"With nothing more than a bar-splashing scandal, public opinion won't stir any bigger waves, and most posts are throttled—some get almost no views at all. Hot topics we used before are now flagged as sensitive and can't be published. They've clearly deployed opinion-control tactics."
Though the caller spoke carefully, Xu Zhi was no fool; he grasped the subtext at once.
Wasn't this a roundabout way of saying he couldn't beat Jiang Cheng?
Xu Zhi's face turned livid. He slammed the table and roared, "Spare me the excuses! I don't care how—find me a solution!"
What the man said was true.
For two days Xu Zhi had barely slept while handling the cooked books in Company's annual report.
The moment he returned, shareholders surrounded him.
He spent hours in meetings before he could send them off.
Right now he was in a full-blown rage.
"Uh… Young President Xu…"
On a normal day he'd have cursed twice and hung up.
Instead he vented on the caller: "What the hell do you mean? Are you saying I can't beat him?"
The line went quiet for several seconds, then a nervous voice said, "Young President Xu, that's not what I meant."
Xu Zhi snapped, "Young President Xu? What's that supposed to mean? Am I unworthy of being called President Xu?"
The man apologized hastily, "I—I'm sorry, President Xu, that's not what I meant."
Xu Zhi's tone grew harsher: "Don't ever let me hear that 'young' again, or get lost. Got it?"
He hung up.
Just then a chill ran down Xu Zhi's spine.
He turned to find Xu Jiayin standing silently behind him.
Seeing Xu Jiayin's thunderous face, Xu Zhi tensed and said, "Dad."
Xu Jiayin gave a cold laugh. "President Xu, don't call me Dad."
Xu Zhi knew he'd overheard.
He rushed to explain, "Dad, you misheard. I just hate that word 'young'—no disrespect. You know I always put you first."
Xu Jiayin glared, then swept his gaze over the office, a mix of emotions rising.
The spacious room held a huge desk, more lavish than a provincial minister's.
Even the number of guest chairs matched his own.
He realized Xu Zhi tried to rival him in everything.
Once he'd seen it as ambition; now it looked blatant.
Xu Jiayin snorted. "What were you talking about? What have you done? Who are you fighting?"
Xu Zhi kept calm. "Just some nobody—petty stuff."
Though Xu Jiayin relaxed slightly, unease lingered.
Times were too tense for mistakes.
"Listen," he warned. "This is critical. I don't care how you usually act—lie low and stay out of trouble. Understood?"
Being scolded stung, feeding Xu Zhi's hatred for Jiang Cheng.
His father had rarely rebuked him.
Life had been smooth.
This year they'd topped China's rich list.
He'd never swallowed such humiliation.
Yet he dared not admit he'd hired online trolls against Jiang Cheng—and failed.
He could only nod obediently.
Noting his son's gloom, Xu Jiayin sighed and spoke gently.
"Now isn't the time for risks. When things calm I'll buy overseas property, set up trusts, move funds abroad. Whatever happens, you'll live comfortably."
Moved, Xu Zhi murmured, "Dad…"
"As long as you're safe, even prison would be worth it…"
Seeing the warmth in Xu Jiayin's eyes, Xu Zhi felt ashamed.
"I'm sorry… Dad."
While the two shared the rare moment, frantic high-heels clacked.
Xu Jiayin's private Female secretary burst in, rapped once, and hurried forward.
Pale and trembling, she thrust a penalty notice at him. "President Xu, the commission has issued an administrative fine!"
Xu Jiayin scanned it anxiously.
"Impossible," he muttered. "We hired the world's third-largest auditor—how could they trace it so easily?"
Seeing the detailed inflated-revenue figures, Xu Zhi frowned.
"These numbers are too precise—someone leaked them! Otherwise how could they investigate so quietly?"
He glanced at the Female secretary.
She wore a black suit, white shirt, red tie.
Her hair was pinned in a neat bun; she looked efficient.
Xu Zhi knew she served as both his father's work and personal secretary.
When Xu Zhi stared, Xu Jiayin fixed his gaze on her too.
Under their twin stare she paled, eyes wide.
Waving her hands, near tears.
"President Xu, I don't know anything—you never told me! Why are you looking at me? It wasn't me…"
Her voice shook, tears pooling.
PS: No idea why the next chapter they're already inside… customer service is off-duty, waaah…