"Regarding the actual operation and management of the company, I indeed don’t have much experience."

"But when my husband was alive, he often discussed business strategies with me. Every project prepared by the Yin Group, from inception to final execution and profit, he would discuss with me."

"My understanding of the Yin Group is no less than any of you present."

"My grandfather, Bai Fengmao, once said when he held an important national position: To wear the crown, one must bear its weight! If I take on this position, I will fulfill the responsibilities and obligations it entails."

Su Xiaomeng seemed to say without any deliberate effort,

"If I can’t handle it, time will prove it, and when that happens, I won’t cling to this position with the 72% shareholding I hold."

"I hope everyone can work with me. That’s all."

When the day comes that you return, your kingdom, your empire, will not be missing a single brick or tile.

Shixiu, before I never thought of doing anything desperately.

Until I met you...

Desperately loving you, desperately learning, desperately guarding everything you’ve created.

————

Su Xiaomeng stood beside the podium and bowed deeply to everyone present in the room.

She needed the help, tolerance, understanding, and kindness of these people...

Standing upright, facing the flashlights and cameras, and all the gazes of those present, her charming and beautiful face was filled with a mature and confident smile.

She walked down the stage one step at a time, neither hastily nor slowly.

As she reached her original seat, almost unanimously, a row of board members stood up, slightly bowed toward Su Xiaomeng to show respect.

Director Ouyang gestured for her to sit in the middle position.

Su Xiaomeng returned a smile,

"No need, sitting anywhere is the same. Even if you bring me a small stool, I am still the president of the group, right?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Su Xiaomeng sat at the very edge of the first row.

At the age of twenty-three, Su Xiaomeng became the youngest female president of a large group in China at that moment.

The meeting continued, led by Chen Lan, with the spokesperson of the publicity department introducing the new electronic chip developed by the Yin Group...

Su Xiaomeng’s figure still appeared calm and composed, no one could perceive that her palms were already wet.

After the press conference ended, it was time for the media to ask questions.

No one asked about the cause of Yin Shixiu’s death or the authenticity of the viral video online anymore. More attention was given to Su Xiaomeng’s thoughts on succeeding Yin Shixiu’s position.

The Yin Group’s plans for the second half of the year...

The functions and features of the newly released product...

Of course, Rong Jing from the Rong Group, who made a fool of himself at the beginning of the meeting, was mentioned multiple times as well...

All procedures complete, it was already four thirty in the afternoon.

Su Xiaomeng returned to the president’s office accompanied by security and senior managers such as Chen Lan.

The secretary brought tea, and after taking a quick sip, she walked back to the high-level conference room on the same floor.

The end of the shareholders’ meeting did not mean Su Xiaomeng had passed the hurdle.

The senior management personnel she came up with just now were still in the conference room.

After Su Xiaomeng entered, she said no pleasantries, directly asking each department to present the list of departmental personnel and upcoming work content as reports, as instructed by Chen Lan in the previous two days.

These tasks, though cumbersome, must be done.

Su Xiaomeng flipped through the reports while having already memorized the senior management personnel information given by Chen Lan.

"I won’t say much, it’s getting late, but I must clearly explain a few things to everyone present."

Su Xiaomeng’s sharp black eyes swept over the management personnel present from various branches,

"I know some people are unconvinced by me, and currently I haven’t achieved anything to make everyone look forward to me, and next, there will definitely be plenty of competitors in the same industry offering olive branches to you all."

"You could wholeheartedly follow my husband, I can’t expect you to wholeheartedly follow me as well."

"Everyone has different choices, and I respect each of your choices. But—"

Su Xiaomeng stood up, and on the table, there was a neat stack of documents and reports from each department,

"One week, within this one week, if anyone chooses to leave the Yin Group, I will send them off with generous gifts to thank everyone for their contributions to the Yin Group during their time here."

"..."

"If anyone wavers after a week, then everything will be according to the labor contract. If there is a violation of the terms of the original contract, the Yin Group will pursue legal responsibility."

After Su Xiaomeng finished speaking, she dismissed the meeting.

The people present looked at each other, casually greeted Su Xiaomeng, and left the conference room.

The conference room slowly emptied, leaving only Su Xiaomeng, Chen Lan, and... Bai Shunyuan.

Bai Shunyuan returned as the deputy general manager of the United States technology branch of the Yin Group,

He had already learned about Yin Shixiu’s general situation from the family.

He crossed his arms, leaning against the chair.

Su Xiaomeng raised her eyebrows and looked towards Bai Shunyuan,

"Cousin, when did you come back?"

"Yesterday afternoon."

Su Xiaomeng let out an "oh," and she puffed out her cheeks, looking at him as her eyebrows arched again,

"You’re not leaving yet? Or... has someone already reached out to you? No way? Such bad judgment?"

"Su Xiaomeng, can you stop pretending in front of me?"

Bai Shunyuan’s expression was really full of disdain, this Crown Prince with a bit of a volatile temperament and a pretty hot temper was suppressing a fire in his heart right now.

Su Xiaomeng’s playful teasing stopped abruptly with Bai Shunyuan’s not-so-gentle question.

Bai Shunyuan took a deep breath then exhaled slowly, stood up, walked over to Su Xiaomeng, pulled her into his arms, and gently patted her back,

"If the sky falls, it won’t be just you holding it up. Your brother is back, isn’t he?"

"..."

Even such a comforting statement seemed a bit rough and not gentle at that moment.

But as Su Xiaomeng listened, she indeed felt her nose get a bit sour, and a soft spot in her heart was warmed by Bai Shunyuan.

Chen Lan, knowing that Bai Shunyuan and Su Xiaomeng were cousins, picked up the documents on the table and left the conference room.

Bai Shunyuan didn’t hold onto Su Xiaomeng for long before letting her go. He looked at her,

"Hungry?"

Su Xiaomeng pouted, nodding, "I really am hungry..."

She had been tense the whole afternoon, every minute, every second, and hadn’t eaten much at noon.

Now that Bai Shunyuan asked, she suddenly realized her stomach had long been rumbling.

"Let’s go, find something good to eat, treat your brother to a big meal!"

"Mm!"

Su Xiaomeng responded heavily, only to realize something was wrong after agreeing,

"Me treat you? Isn’t it supposed to be you treating me?"

"You should know that your husband has been paying me an intern’s salary for the past two years, right? How would I have any money?"

"...Intern’s salary?! You’re willing to do that? Are you really that good?"

"What do you mean? If you talk like that again, I’m going to jump ship!"

"I’ll treat."

Bai Shunyuan smiled, and Su Xiaomeng scratched her head. Was he really here to comfort her?

Su Xiaomeng and Bai Shunyuan walked out of the company one after the other, standing at the company entrance, Su Xiaomeng and Bai Shunyuan looked at each other... their large eyes blinking similarly...

"Where’s the car?"

"You ask me?"

"Of course, I’m asking you! You didn’t drive here?"

"You’re now the president of the Yin Group, and you want me, your employee, to arrange a car?"

"I just took office today!"

"You should have had a car today when you took office..."

"..."

Su Xiaomeng suddenly felt her head ache even more.

At the moment, she didn’t find Bai Shunyuan’s words comforting at all! Not at all reliable!!

"Go ahead and jump ship! Go now, jump quickly!"

"That’s not how you do it, Su Xiaomeng..."