Chapter 170: Extra Chapter Sixteen: The Lin Family Changes Hands

As the Bentley slowly pulled up in front of the towering office building, Cheng Sangluo still had no idea what Lin Jin was up to.

She was holding onto the handrail, preparing to get out of the car, when she saw the building's entrance through the car window and suddenly stopped.

A group of men and women dressed in business attire were gathered in small groups in front of the door, chatting in a casual atmosphere.

Cheng Sangluo withdrew her arm and muttered softly, "Why do you think those people are blocking the door?"

As she spoke, she turned to look at Lin Jin, who remained unmoved, then stroked her chin, feigning great wisdom: "Hiss...this situation...could it be like in those novels, where a powerful female CEO who dominates the business world suddenly arrives, and the entire company is on high alert, with employees standing respectfully at the door, not daring to be the slightest bit negligent, even their breathing becoming extremely cautious..."

And you know what? With just a few words, this guy could paint a dramatic picture straight out of a novel.

Lin Jin was leaning back with her eyes closed, trying to rest, and her silence was giving off an arrogant aura of a superior. However, she was amused by the dog's incessant explanation and her composure was ruined.

She couldn't help but burst out laughing, leaning against Cheng Sangluo's shoulder and teasingly saying, "I didn't know you were so good at describing things. Why don't you become an online novelist? If you write well, I'll invest in and buy your copyrights!"

"With my high school writing skills, I can't even use punctuation properly, let alone write a novel," Cheng Sangluo said, waving her hand knowingly in refusal. She then steered the conversation back on track, "Why aren't you getting off the bus yet? Are you waiting for someone?"

Lin Jin did not answer the question directly, but instead raised her hand to look at her watch and then turned her head to look out the car window.

Coincidentally, Secretary Zhou walked out from the crowd, probably noticing that her boss's car had arrived, and her stiletto heels made a messy thumping sound on the concrete.

Seeing her approach, Lin Jin rolled down the car window halfway and asked in a cold voice, "Have those old fogies arrived yet?"

"Old man?" Cheng Sangluo's heart skipped a beat. She was a little unaccustomed to her lover's sudden change of attitude, which was faster than turning the pages of a book. She sighed inwardly that this woman's temperament had not changed at all; she had just quietly hidden her domineering side so that she wouldn't see it.

Zhou Ran, standing outside the door, seemed used to it and replied briefly, "The board members are all here, and the meeting can begin at any time."

"Let's go." Lin Jin gave a confident, fake smile, brushed aside her long, curly hair that was draped over her shoulders, and stepped out of the car as her secretary opened the door.

Suddenly, something occurred to her. She quickly turned around and bent down to look at the bewildered puppy, her eyes crinkling with laughter as she invited, "Come with me, and I'll show you what it's like to make everyone on edge, cautious, and afraid to be negligent!"

"Huh?" Cheng Sangluo hadn't come to her senses yet, and quickly pushed the door open again, "Hey... wait for me... wait for me..."

Lin Jin did not linger, but led Secretary Zhou straight towards the building entrance.

The group, who had been chatting happily just moments before, seemed to have been muted. All eyes turned to Lin Jin, and the atmosphere instantly turned icy.

No one dared to laugh or utter a sound. They just stood there awkwardly. After all, the protagonist, who seemed to have arrived with great momentum, hadn't given any further instructions except for glancing at them. So everyone held their breath and endured the sharpness in his eyes.

Cheng Sangluo kept up with the pace without stopping, and subconsciously looked up to look at the towering buildings that were rising from the ground.

This building is quite impressive and is located in the coastal CBD of Zhouhai New Area. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the sea from any floor.

"Lin's Shengjin Group?" She squinted at the huge sign on the porch before belatedly realizing that Lin Jin had brought her to the headquarters of the Lin Group.

The man leading the crowd took a step towards Lin Jin and said respectfully, "President Lin, the board members are already waiting in the meeting room. What do you think..."

Lin Jin ignored the subtle urging and simply turned slightly to the side, beckoning to Cheng Sangluo, who was standing at the back, "You, come here."

Cheng Sangluo ran up to her excitedly, thinking he was going to play the role of Xiao Sangzi, and quickly raised his arm for his wife to help him up.

There wasn't a trace of a smile on Lin Jin's face, but her doting affection for the puppy was all conveyed through her physical interactions.

She slapped away the arm that was placed in front of her in an annoyed manner, and instead firmly grasped the dog's paw, even gradually interlocking her fingers under everyone's gaze.

Half of the people waiting at the door were senior executives from the Lin Group, and the other half were Lin Jin's legal team.

This large, dark group of people couldn't fathom the big boss's thoughts, so they could only follow behind in silence, walking slowly.

Cheng Sangluo had seen grand military reviews on the battlefield, but she had never experienced such a scene of being surrounded by people.

She looked around at the decorations in the office building, and was led by Lin Jin towards the elevator. She tried her best to endure the various gazes behind her, and couldn't help but sigh and comment: "So this is what it feels like to be surrounded by people in novels... Hmm... Not good, so uncomfortable."

"Relax, just think of it as your owner coming home." Lin Jin was used to being the center of attention and didn't feel anything was wrong. She then winked playfully at the puppy: "We're about to do something big, so cheer up."

The couple held hands tightly until the elevator doors opened.

Lin Jin led Cheng Sangluo to the corridor of the conference floor. Before she could speak, Lin Jin decisively arranged, "Zhou Ran, take Miss Cheng to the conference room next door."

Cheng Sangluo was reluctant to let go, and instead held her lover's hand even tighter. "Will this meeting last a long time? Can't I just sit in on it?"

“The board meetings are not open to the public and are quite boring. You’ll definitely fall asleep if you go in and listen for a while,” Lin Jin explained patiently. While Secretary Zhou was leading the lawyers to the meeting room, she quickly tiptoed and stole a kiss on the puppy’s lips. “Be good. Just do whatever the lawyers say. If you have any questions, ask Secretary Zhou.”

"Huh?" Cheng Sangluo looked bewildered, scratching the back of her head and asking, "What do you mean I need to do for the Lin Group?"

"You'll find out when you get to the conference room." Lin Jin habitually spoke in riddles, half-coaxing and half-pushing Cheng Sangluo into the next conference room. "Go in, go in, hurry up and go in."

As the door closed, only Lin Jin's slender figure remained in the vast conference hall corridor.

She composes herself incredibly quickly. One second her eyes are filled with doting affection for her lover, and the next they are filled with indifference that shows no regard for family. There is still a smile on her lips, but it has no warmth to it.

That smile didn't seem approachable; it was a sinister hypocrisy, a cunning game of strategy.

She walked slowly down the corridor, her fingertips tracing invisible lines on the wall. Even though her injured foot was still encased in a thin brace, the empty world still echoed with the scattered sounds of her high heels.

The sound of the thin heel tapping against the clean tiles was clear and crisp, but each sound carried immense mockery, as if mocking the father's so-called "poisonous" education, or as if mocking Lin Sheng, who was spending his life in prison, with no hope of ever turning his life around.

In fact, Lin Jin was not far from the meeting room door; it would only be a few steps if she walked quickly. However, she deliberately slowed down her pace.

It took her seven years to walk through that door, but not everyone can see the pain she endured during those years. So she needs to feel the difficulty of each step, and also enjoy the lightness of each step.

With a slight creaking sound from the frosted glass door, Lin Jin appeared before everyone's eyes, offering neither casual greetings nor feigned arrogance.

She walked silently to the head seat, her back straighter than ever before, quietly releasing an aura that intimidated everyone.

Lin Jin did not sit down immediately, but instead placed his hands on the back of the chair and coldly glanced at the silent board members.

At this moment, she was like a victor who had overcome countless difficulties but remained calm and composed as she approached the end.

She endured her father's suppression and her brother's persecution alone back then, and now that the position of representing the entire family's voice is right in front of her, she is still alone.

Those who aspire to wear the crown must endure hardship and loneliness. Lin Jin has walked this path, and as for how to win over the masses, she has her own methods.

Unable to withstand Lin Jin's silent yet sharp scrutiny, the directors, sitting firmly in their seats, displayed a variety of expressions. Some picked up their teacups and pretended to drink, while others coughed lightly and then fell silent again.

Most of these people were related to Old Master Lin, which can be said to be the most common drawback of family businesses.

Lin Jin changed to a more comfortable standing position, resting one hand on the back of the chair and leaning back lazily, but she refused to sit down.

"I know what you're thinking. You're wondering if I'm capable enough to sit in this chair, or you simply don't want me to come back to the Lin family, right?" Her contemptuous tone added fuel to the already tense atmosphere.

"Xiao Jin, that's not how you put it." The head director put down his teacup. Although his tone sounded amiable, his gaze betrayed his condescension. "I have no objection to whoever owns the Lin family's property, as long as they're surnamed Lin. But whatever they do, there has to be a legal basis. Even if Ruan Jinxian and her son go to jail, how they choose to act and what they do must be in accordance with the company's bylaws, don't you think?"

Lin Jin tapped her fingertips on the table and winked at the lawyer standing in the corner.

Before long, the lawyers presented the documents to the board members one by one.

Lin Jin's tone remained indifferent, but his words carried an undeniable air of authority: "All of you here are long-time shareholders who have been with my father to maintain the family business. You probably know the old man's temperament better than I do."

I will only talk about three things at today's meeting.

First, the document you are seeing now is a betting agreement that the old man signed with me before his death. He used the entire Lin Group as a bargaining chip to protect your rights. The case of Lin Sheng and Ruan Jinxian has caused a great uproar and has seriously affected the group's interests. Now the result is in front of you, written clearly in black and white. If you have any doubts about the result, my legal team will disclose the details.

Secondly, after I officially take over the Lin family business, I will privatize the group again, and delisting will be an inevitable result. I will buy back the shares you hold at market prices, and it will be beneficial for you to sell them off in time.

Third, after successful privatization, the Lin Group will be restructured and split according to different businesses. In other words, there will no longer be a so-called Lin Group in Zhouhai.

As soon as Lin Jin finished speaking, the fragmented noise shattered the silence of the room.

The director, who had just been speaking politely, couldn't contain himself and smashed his glass, even slamming his fist on the table in a fit of rage: "Nonsense! I don't deny that you've been doing very well in Zhouhai, but you come here and immediately want to make sweeping reforms, even trying to find ways to drive us away. What do you mean by that?!"

"That's right! Lin's finally went public. You could have easily secured a long-term partnership with Lin's Senyao. It's such a great win-win opportunity, and you actually want to split up this huge family business. How are you going to explain this to your father?!"

"We need to find a reliable person to take charge. At the very least, Lin Sheng will consider our interests! Lin Jin, what are you doing? Are you betraying us?"

"You're really thinking too far ahead. Do you think it's that easy to kick us out? Privatization alone will cost a lot of money. Even if you have Senyao backing us up, you can't shake our position in the Lin family. As long as we don't voluntarily give up our shares, there's nothing you can do about it!"

In an instant, the conference room erupted in uproar, with disgruntled directors grumbling and complaining.

"Oh, really?" Lin Jin seemed to have anticipated the board's protest against the decision, his face still bearing a confident smile. "Diluting shares is too easy for me. Anyway, all my equity came from Lin Sheng, so even if I lose it all, I won't care. I'm just afraid..."

Lin Jin slowly rubbed the tip of her tongue against the canine tooth, deliberately paused for a moment, and then asked with a smile, "Can you afford to play this game?"

This woman hadn't displayed such a strong and crazy attitude in a long time. She spoke of a deal worth hundreds of millions so casually, as if she were playing a trivial drinking game. But as soon as she mentioned diluting the equity, the noisy conference room instantly fell silent, and everyone's faces became increasingly unpleasant.

Lin Jin spread his hands and shrugged, finally settling into the main seat. Then, he coldly revealed his true purpose: "Most of you are collateral relatives of the Lin family. You have enjoyed the Lin family's blessings for so many years. Now that the old man is gone, Lin Sheng will probably never have a chance to rise in the future. You have no choice but to accept the fact that the family has changed hands."

As the saying goes, "When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter," it's time for this to come to an end. Let me put it this way: my goal is simple—this group can be called anything from now on, but it can't bear the surname Lin. What I want is for the Lin family to completely disappear from Zhouhai.

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