58: Zhao Zixing

Anger was one thing, but appearances still had to be maintained. Yan Zhuohua sat beside Yan Qinghe, occasionally enduring "office sexual harassment"—Yan Qinghe's hand under the table was quietly placed behind him.

Yan Qinghe had clearly forgotten the shock that Yan Zhuohua's staggering martial prowess had given him over the past two days. He was currently immersed in the joy of Yan Zhuohua being unable to resist his bullying.

By the time the meeting ended, the clothes on Yan Zhuohua's back had been rubbed into wrinkles. Only then did Yan Qinghe sheepishly withdraw his hand under Yan Zhuohua's cold gaze.

"You seem to be having a lot of fun."

"No, I was worried your waist was uncomfortable, so I was giving you a massage," Yan Qinghe quibbled.

"Heh," Yan Zhuohua gave a mocking smile, "Your reward is gone."

"!" Yan Qinghe's face was full of disbelief as he grabbed the corner of Yan Zhuohua's clothes. "Zhuohua, reconsider. I only got that reward after being well-behaved for two days. How can you just take it back like that?"

"Why can't I? I'm the one in charge," Yan Zhuohua remained unmoved.

"You can't go back on your word. I'm going to tell Mom on you." Seeing that playing soft didn't work, Yan Qinghe turned to threats.

Yan Zhuohua was shocked by his shameless words: "You'd actually complain to Mom about something like this?"

"It doesn't matter if a tactic is good or bad, as long as it works."

It was indeed effective. Yan Zhuohua couldn't bring himself to do something as embarrassing as having their mother mediate such a matter.

"...You win." Yan Zhuohua sighed, relaxing against the back of his chair, and looked at Yan Qinghe gently again. "What reward do you want?"

Yan Qinghe had already decided on the reward, but he couldn't say it yet, otherwise it would be easy for it to be taken away again.

"Don't worry about it, just wait for my arrangements!"

Yan Zhuohua gave him a meaningful look. Without even thinking, he knew it wouldn't be anything good.

Hopefully, he wouldn't take it too far.

On Tuesday, Yan Zhuohua was basically back to full health, and the two of them went to the company together on time.

As soon as he stepped into the Business Department, he saw Yan Muxuan standing in the corridor quietly watching him.

"...Director?" Yan Zhuohua spoke softly.

"Oh, our Deputy Director Yan is finally back at work?" Yan Muxuan said sarcastically.

"It really wasn't... it was other matters this time," Yan Zhuohua explained helplessly.

The project details weren't suitable to discuss here, so Yan Zhuohua invited him into his office.

"Friday night, we went to the Military Camp," Yan Zhuohua said simply.

Yan Muxuan was considered a core figure of the Yan Family, so he naturally knew more or less about the project. Upon hearing Yan Zhuohua say this, he understood.

"But surely you didn't need to take a whole day off?" Although Yan Muxuan understood, he still voiced his confusion. "You have no idea how much work I did yesterday! I'm exhausted!"

Yan Zhuohua complained inwardly that he had done far more than him, but on the surface, he still maintained the demeanor of a junior.

"Big Brother took the opportunity to give me two days of testing to see if my skills were still up to par."

That explained it. Yan Muxuan's gaze instantly turned into pity and admiration. To be able to mostly recover in just one day under those circumstances, it was clear that his... nephew-in-law? had indeed done his best.

"I see, then I'll forgive you this once." Yan Muxuan patted Yan Zhuohua's shoulder in admiration, though his words were still tsundere.

Having spent some time together, Yan Zhuohua had come to understand this childish Uncle well, and seeing him say this, he relaxed.

"Is there anything I need to handle from yesterday? I'll get on it now; I expect there'll be new work soon," Yan Zhuohua discussed work with Yan Muxuan.

"Yes, Zhao Zixing from the Zhao Corporation came to see you yesterday, but since you weren't here, I told him to come today." Yan Muxuan lifted his hand to check his watch. "Looking at the time, he should be arriving soon."

"Alright, thank you, Uncle."

"No need for thanks. I don't know why they didn't go to Qinghe and came to find you instead," Yan Muxuan asked casually.

"Because I had Ji Yang block everyone from the Zhao family and related parties, telling them to come directly to me."

"...Then your husband really does spoil you. How do you actually plan to handle the Zhao family? Just leave them sitting there?" Yan Muxuan glanced at him.

"Of course not, but I still have things to do, so the Zhao Corporation has to stay for a few more days. Once things are settled, it won't be too late for a final reckoning."

"Reckoning?" Yan Muxuan was somewhat surprised. "Zhuohua, although the Zhao family did those things, they didn't succeed after all, and you already sent the mastermind in. If the reckoning is too excessive, not only will it not fit our Yan Family's usual style of proportional retaliation, but it might also make other families feel uneasy."

Yan Zhuohua said, "I'm certainly not settling accounts just for this one matter. Rest assured, I will handle this fairly and justly, without leaving any room for criticism."

Yan Muxuan nodded: "Fine, as long as you know what you're doing. I trust you."

Yan Muxuan chatted with him about a few more work matters until Qin Shi knocked on the door, saying that Zhao Zixing had arrived, and only then did they go their separate ways to get busy.

Yan Zhuohua briefly tidied the accumulated documents on his desk before unhurriedly heading to the small meeting room.

Both Zhao Zixing and Zhao Zijing had come, and even Qiao Rongjing was there.

Yan Zhuohua first greeted his good friend.

"If it isn't our great composer Qiao. What brings you here? Are you planning to jump ship to our company?"

Qiao Rongjing raised an eyebrow: "To have me compose for Sister Zhuoyue?"

Yan Zhuohua fell silent. Yan Zhuole, the big star, was good at everything—except singing.

"Better not, I don't want to get beaten up."

As soon as he said that, both of them laughed.

The atmosphere was much more relaxed than when he first entered. Qiao Rongjing looked at his two cousins sitting beside him and finally brought up the main business.

"Zhuohua, about that matter at Zixing's birthday banquet, what do you plan to do?"

As soon as Qiao Rongjing asked, the two silent people beside him instantly sat up straighter.

"The Zhao family are also relatives of mine; I can't just ignore my two cousins and my aunt. We came today hoping that, for the sake of the warning Zixing and Zijing gave you that day, you could let the Zhao family off the hook."

"Didn't Zhao Zhongkai want to hand the Zhao Corporation over to his illegitimate son? Now that he and Zhao Mingting are both inside, isn't that better for you?" Yan Zhuohua said.

"I do hope Zixing can inherit the Zhao family, but the situation isn't right now. The Zhao family is, after all, one of the Four Great Families with vast assets. Even if they've declined over the years, they aren't something our Qiao and Su families can fully control. Without the shares and support of Zhao Zhongkai and Zhao Mingting, it's very difficult for Zixing to take control of the entire Zhao family."

Qiao Rongjing sighed and continued: "Moreover, they are Zixing and Zijing's relatives after all. Their reputation and situation will also have a great impact on Zixing and Zijing within the Zhao Corporation. Now that there's internal strife in the Zhao family, the branch families that were suppressed over a decade ago are starting to cause trouble again, and we're already losing control of the situation."

Yan Zhuohua smiled, "Then why don't you go to them and ask for the shares? They probably won't be getting out for a few years anyway. Surely the Zhao family can't wait for them to finish their prison sentence?"

Zhao Zixing finally spoke: "I went to see them. They said if I want the shares, I have to get them out first."

"Rongjing, if I let them go, then Zhao Zixing gets the shares and the Zhao family, Zhao Mingting and Zhao Zhongkai escape punishment, and the Zhao Corporation goes through no major turmoil. What about us? We were nearly plotted against, framed for a crime, and had our family assets coveted. By that calculation, in this whole scheme, only the Zhao family gains while we suffer the grievance?"