Chapter 53 "It's only right to taste some bitterness (or sweetness)..."

Qiao Kaiyu's complexion was unusually bad.

The company was full of people. His subordinates called him "President Qiao" and "President Qiao Shushu," and all they heard were grating sounds.

"let's go."

After greeting everyone, Qiao Shu looked away and started talking to Yu Zeheng, passing by Qiao Kaiyu.

Yu Zeheng held her hand the whole time.

Last night, when Qiao Shu was picking out clothes, she planned to go alone, so when Yu Zeheng offered to come with her, she subconsciously said no.

"It would be a shame to miss such a thrilling moment in the final standings."

Qiao Shu knew he was worried. If Qiao Kaiyu were to act recklessly and actually start a fight, she might suffer. With him there, Qiao Kaiyu wouldn't make a move.

The shareholders' meeting started on time.

With Qiao Shu and more than a dozen other shareholders present, as well as senior managers of the company including Guan Han, Qiao Zhenkai pushed his wheelchair out and sat in the main seat. He had been in charge of Zhongcheng for decades, and everyone had to give him face.

One of the shareholders, Mr. Huang, spoke first, holding Qiao Kaiyu accountable and criticizing his absurd behavior, which had brought serious negative impact to the company during this period.

Qiao Zhenkai told Qiao Kaiyu to step forward himself.

Qiao Kaiyu stood up and first apologized to all the shareholders for everything they had done for him. With his eyes lowered, he announced that due to the losses caused by his dereliction of duty, he would no longer be suitable to serve as CEO. He would hold a press conference to announce his resignation and take full responsibility for all the blame.

"I am deeply sorry." He bowed his head, his expression sorrowful.

The shareholders won't let him off the hook just because he stepped down. They'll vent their pent-up anger by making sarcastic remarks. Given how much the assets have shrunk, it's already a sign of good manners that they haven't taken direct action.

Qiao Shu and Yu Zeheng remained silent, coldly watching this pre-rehearsed drama unfold.

After apologizing, Qiao Zhenkai wanted to choose a new CEO. The candidate was his grandson, Qiao Yizhou. Qiao Yizhou stood up, raised his hand, smiled, and talked about the achievements he had made for Zhongcheng over the years.

A sneer shattered Qiao Yizhou's self-congratulatory praise.

Dozens of eyes in the conference room turned to the source of the voice. Yu Zeheng remained calm and said, "I don't think it's very convincing. If we hand the company over to this kind of person, we'll be sitting here again soon."

As soon as he finished speaking, another person in the know chimed in: "Young Master Qiao's affairs are no secret. Almost everyone knows. He's obsessed with eating, drinking, having fun, and throwing lavish parties. He hasn't achieved anything in his years at Zhongcheng. It's possible that he's abusing his position for personal gain. If we hand Zhongcheng over to someone like that, we might as well throw our money down the drain. At least we'll get something out of it."

People began to express their opinions.

Qiao Yizhou wanted to refute the rumors, but Qiao Zhenkai told him to leave.

Qiao Zhenkai keenly sensed that all the shareholders he was on good terms with had turned against him. They used to stand by him without exception, but now they were either silent or opposed.

Without realizing it, he found himself standing on a canoe.

Qiao Zhenkai looked at Qiao Shu.

Qiao Shu rarely spoke. She rested her arm on the table and silently looked back at him. The grandfather and granddaughter were silently competing. All the past had vanished like smoke. She was no longer the little girl he had led back to the old house by the hand, and he was no longer the kind-faced man who had said that he would have a grandfather to rely on in the future.

They faced off against each other, standing in opposing directions.

He was surprised by her methods and abilities, praising some aspects while also feeling disappointed. If she were any of his grandsons, he would have offered her the entire Qiao family business.

pity.

She was just his granddaughter.

Guan Han suddenly suggested Qiao Shu. Having worked together for several months, she knew Qiao Shu's abilities very well: "Comparatively speaking, I think Qiao Shu is a better choice."

Qiao Zhenkai's face was tense, and he remained silent.

Unable to reach an agreement, the matter was ultimately decided by a show of hands.

Yu Zeheng raised his hand, his taut jawline and cold expression: "I choose Qiao Shu."

Several people then raised their hands, resulting in an almost overwhelming vote.

Guan Han asked, "Is it necessary to throw any more?"

It's already halfway through, so there's no need for that anymore.

Qiao Shu stood up, facing everyone's gaze, and promised to pull Zhong Cheng out of the mire.

Qiao Kaiyu sneered inwardly, wondering who had created this mess.

Yu Zeheng's fingers tapped on the table. His gaze followed her, and he felt genuinely proud of her. She was radiant, and she deserved all of this.

The meeting has ended.

As Qiao Shu passed Guan Han, the two secretly gave each other a high five. She smiled slightly, and Guan Han, holding a folder, returned the smile.

They won this battle.

Qiao Kaiyu pushed the old man out of the conference room. Qiao Zhenkai closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and looked obviously exhausted.

They didn't say a word.

Qiao Shu's gaze lingered briefly on the back of the person sitting in the wheelchair. A void was missing in her heart, filled with shadows. This was the price she had paid for getting to this point. She took a deep breath, knowing that acceptance would take time. She needed to understand that the relationship between them was completely irreparable.

"Congratulations."

People came one after another to congratulate Qiao Shu.

Qiao Shu responded with a smile, occasionally offering a few words in response.

Until Yu Zeheng took her hand and led her away into the elevator, he lowered his head slightly and said, "Actually, you don't have to smile when you don't want to."

"Why do you say that? I'm very happy." Qiao Shu looked up at him, a smile still on her lips.

Yu Zeheng's hand climbed up the back of her hand and grasped her wrist: "Your eyes tell me no."

Qiao Shu's smile vanished instantly, and she asked with self-deprecation, "Do you think I'm being greedy?"

Greedy people want everything.

"No one is without greed; it's human nature. There's no need to be so hard on yourself. You've already done a great job."

"you're right."

Winning doesn't necessarily make you happy, but losing definitely doesn't make you happy.

She would do the same thing again if given the chance.

—

A week later, Qiao Shu successfully started her job.

She moved out the soft furnishings from Qiao Kaiyu's office that she could, and brought in the items from her old office. However, since this office was larger, she had to buy some new items to make it look less empty.

She hired Song Yuejin to help her at the company as her general assistant.

Qiao Kaiyu is overwhelmed with troubles due to embezzlement and debt lawsuits, and is under investigation by various parties. He cannot go anywhere until the results are in.

After Qiao Kaiyu stepped down, the company's sharp decline has basically stabilized.

Even so, Qiao Shu still had to spend a lot of energy cleaning up the mess, leaving early and returning late every day. Yu Zeheng could hardly see her. On Saturday, he caught the busy person and wanted to take her somewhere.

Yu Zeheng, a former professional F1 racing driver, received an invitation from Formula A Karting to perform an entertainment race with some retired drivers before the main race.

Karting is generally the starting point for professional F1 drivers; it's the cradle of drivers.

"Can I drive it?" Qiao Shu asked, intrigued.

Yu Zeheng nodded: "You can participate in the competition again if you have the chance." Since it is an entertainment competition, there are no entry requirements, and some amateur players will participate.

The exhibition match is on Saturday morning.

Yu Zeheng communicated with the organizers to increase Qiao Shu's spot. She changed into a racing suit, held a helmet in her hand, and listened to Yu Zeheng teach her how to drive a go-kart. It was actually very simple; she had already played simulators, so the driving skills were universal.

Qiao Shu was filled with excitement.

After Yu Zeheng finished speaking to her, two blond, blue-eyed foreigners carrying helmets came over to greet her. From their conversation, she learned that they had also been professional racers and had raced together before.

Who is this?

Yu Zeheng put his arm around her shoulder and introduced her to them: "My wife, Joyce."

"Hello." Qiao Shu extended her hand and politely shook hands with the other party.

Then I heard them praising her for being beautiful, saying that the two of them were a good match, and that they would have dinner together sometime in the future.

After everyone left, Qiao Shu raised an eyebrow: "Wife, hmm?"

Some people are trying to elevate their own status.

Yu Zeheng grasped her shoulders and turned her around, a smile playing on his lips: "Did you notice the rings on their hands? They're both married now, I can't let them outdo me."

"It never happened before, and it's even less likely now."

Qiao Shu frowned as she listened to his explanation: "Is this your strange competitive spirit?"

"That's one way to understand it."

Qiao Shu pressed down on his hand that was on her shoulder and turned around: "Then please don't let them outdo you later, and get first place."

Yu Zeheng chuckled and replied, "Okay."

The driver gets into his go-kart.

The moment Qiao Shu put on the helmet and gripped the steering wheel, her heart pounded with excitement.

Tires are piled up on both sides of the track to cushion the impact and ensure the safety of the drivers to the greatest extent.

When the gong sounds and the flags flutter, the competition officially begins.

All the go-karts shot off like arrows. Qiao Shu's hands were trembling as she gripped the steering wheel. She wasn't going very fast, after all, she wasn't a professional driver and didn't have much experience with go-karts in person. She maintained her own pace, controlling her speed around the corners and avoiding the go-karts next to her.

Her adrenaline was surging, it was even more exhilarating than the last time she drove an F1 car. Surrounded by cars, she had the illusion that she was a professional driver herself.

Qiao Shu only saw Yu Zeheng at the beginning, in a position to his left and behind. As the race started, he drove directly in front of her, dodging left and right, and disappeared in no time.

She drove the entire course without any collisions, and she wasn't in last place; she smoothly crossed the finish line.

Qiao Shu took off her helmet and then undid her already messed-up hair. She brushed it back, and her hair floated like waves. A hand with distinct knuckles reached out, and Qiao Shu saw Yu Zeheng's face. With her passion still burning, she grabbed his hand and got out of the car.

"See? My ranking is pretty good. I didn't bump into anyone even once!" Qiao Shu's face was bright and cheerful. She held his wrist and said excitedly, "See? I didn't embarrass you."

"How could it be shameful?"

Yu Zeheng patted her head, as if praising a child who had done a great job: "Everyone in the room is looking at you, you are the focus of the whole room."

Qiao Shu smiled contentedly. In the speed of the race, all her worries were left behind. She simply enjoyed the sport.

What was your ranking?

"First."

Yu Zeheng mimicked her tone: "I didn't embarrass you either."

Although it was an exhibition match, the organizers still held a proper awards ceremony, and a medal was eventually placed around Qiao Shu's neck.

Qiao Shu called it well-deserved.

If she had been exposed to go-karting and racing from a young age, with her talent, she would have easily won first place.

Yu Zeheng suddenly spoke up: "You've already easily taken first place."

Qiao Shu took two seconds to realize he was talking about himself. She chuckled and scolded him for being too arrogant.

After the exhibition match, they watched the main competition.

The drivers are all young faces, and in the future, they will strive to become F1 drivers.

This spirit of giving it their all also inspired the spectators.

As they were leaving after the match, a young man stopped Yu Zeheng, scratching his head, and asked if he could get an autograph, saying he was a fan.

Yu Zeheng paused for a moment, then said, "Of course."

More people followed, wanting autographs or photos. It was at this moment that Qiao Shu realized how dazzling Yu Zeheng had once been in his field.

Qiao Shu stepped aside, giving his spot to his fans.

Yu Zeheng appears more mature among the young faces. Once upon a time, he, like these teenagers, traveled to various places to participate in competitions at all levels.

After signing the autographs, the crowd dispersed, and Yu Zeheng walked towards her.

The afterglow of the setting sun dyed a large part of the sky red, and the light also shone on his hair, making the edges of his hair seem to glow.

Qiao Shu tilted her head to look at him, and he tilted his head to look at her. They were a step apart, like two strangers sizing each other up.

She twitched her lower lip and said, "You'd better leave quickly, my boyfriend is scary."

"How scary is it?" Yu Zeheng asked casually, lifting his long eyelashes to reveal his dark, bright eyes.

Qiao Shu said in a serious tone, "Someone like you could take on two of them by himself."

A smile played on his lips: "That scary?"

Qiao Shu crossed her arms and said in a condescending tone, "Now you're scared, aren't you? Why don't you run away?"

Yu Zeheng took a step forward, so close that she could smell the woody scent on him. His striking face drew near to her: "It's okay, we can have a secret tryst when he's not here. He might not find out."

Qiao Shu almost burst out laughing, and even wanted to applaud him. In terms of sheer perversion, she still couldn't compare to him.

She blinked, feigning hesitation: "That's not a good idea."

"What's wrong with him?" Yu Zeheng asked, looking into her eyes. "You like him that much?"

"Who said that? I was just thinking about where we should go." Qiao Shu tugged at his clothes and almost kissed his lips. "You're quite to my liking."

Yu Zeheng lowered his head, intending to kiss her, but she gracefully pulled away, her eyes shining with an innocent light: "I'm hungry, let's eat."

The two ate at the restaurant and instead of returning to South Bay, went directly to the hotel.

The hotel is owned by the family of Yu Zeheng's good friend.

He told a joke about a friend: the couple decided to book a hotel on a whim, but the sister-in-law didn't know the brand of the hotel owned by her friend and ended up booking a room at their own hotel. When the friend arrived, the hotel manager and staff all thought it was an inspection, and a huge crowd lined up to greet him.

Qiao Shu imagined the scene and couldn't help but chuckle as she asked, "Wouldn't they be incredibly embarrassed?"

Yu Zeheng nodded.

"Did they stay at that hotel in the end?"

Yu Zeheng nodded again.

"Then the staff will all know, and they'll gossip about it, right?" Qiao Shu put herself in the shoes of a hotel employee. Based on her limited work experience, the answer was definitely yes. Work is so boring, it would be a waste not to gossip about such exciting news.

Yu Zeheng put his hand on her shoulder and entered the elevator, asking with amusement, "Otherwise, how do you think we knew?"

Qiao Shu thought so too, and smiled to herself.

After swiping her card to enter the room, Qiao Shu was pinned against the wall as the door closed, and a warm body pressed against her.

He braced his arms against the wall, encircling her in his embrace. He lowered his head and kissed her lips, gently prying them open. His breath was slightly ragged, and his kiss on her ear caused a soft tremor. She tasted the white wine he had drunk after the meal, and felt as if she were drunk, her limbs going weak. She could only rely on the strength of his arms to support her.

Yu Zeheng lightly bit her lip, his breathing even heavier than before: "Didn't your boyfriend teach you not to bring strange men into your room?"

Qiao Shu: "..."

She paused, not expecting Yu Zeheng to continue acting.

A strange feeling followed; an electric current surged from her lips, as if a switch had been turned on. She felt both ashamed and indescribably excited.

Qiao Shu lowered her eyelashes, her chest heaving: "No."

"...This isn't fun." She felt very strange.

Even she herself didn't realize how wavering her words were.

Yu Zeheng held her chin, kissing her deeper and deeper, his voice low and hoarse, as if he were murmuring to himself: "You should experience some hardship."

-----------------------

Author's note: Don't ask, I just really love acting.

Princess: I'm so sorry to have met Lin Jinshen and Lu Yi in this way. [Pity]

Who knew these two would make a cameo appearance like this?

50 red envelopes, kiss kiss!