Chapter 98: Ninety-eight days after quitting the circle, I was hit by a chandelier and almost died...
Backstage.
The organizer's leader frowned as he listened to the report from the person next to him. "We still haven't seen Xing Shuyang. Xiao Xu said he couldn't get through on the phone. Mr. Ding, isn't Xing Shuyang really worried that Ning Changsheng will cause trouble for him later, so he's standing us up?"
Although other CEOs had teased him before the forum started, saying that he didn't care about Xing Shuyang's life or death by letting him take the stage instead of Ning Changsheng, CEO Ding just laughed twice, thinking that the CEOs' remarks were too exaggerated, so he didn't take them seriously.
Putting aside the fact that the problem originally lay with Ning Changsheng, if he hadn't been linked to a murderer like Dai Jianhua and embroiled in a public scandal, he wouldn't have replaced him out of concern for Ning Changsheng's negative influence. Furthermore, he did have some ulterior motives in letting Xing Shuyang take the stage. It was well known that the two didn't get along, and if Xing Shuyang replaced Ning Changsheng on stage, reporters would definitely have something to write about.
As for Xing Shuyang's fate... at most, Ning Changsheng might have targeted him in a business deal. But the Xing Group, as large as it is, couldn't possibly collapse just because of Ning Changsheng's targeting? Xing Shuyang might have to look within himself.
Mr. Ding picked up his phone and called Xing Shuyang himself. The busy tone sounded for a long time, and just when he was about to hang up, the call was suddenly connected.
The frustration he'd previously felt about not being able to reach someone was forcibly silenced the moment the call was connected. Mr. Ding chuckled and asked, "Mr. Xing, is there something urgent you need to deal with? Our receptionist said they haven't seen you yet."
Xing Shuyang's voice, mixed with the subtle sound of electricity, came over: "I had a minor car accident on the way here. I helped out and am already on my way to the venue."
Mr. Ding breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
He was really afraid that Xing Shuyang would suddenly say, "Something urgent happened and I can't come over."
Then he would have to find someone to take the stage temporarily.
The problem is that those bosses are not prepared and may not be willing.
The smile on his face became more genuine. Mr. Ding said, "Take your time, I'll wait for you at the door."
After hanging up the phone, President Ding waved to his subordinate, indicating that everything was fine and to go back to his business. However, just as the other person turned around and gripped the doorknob, someone outside hurriedly pushed the door open, nearly knocking the unsuspecting person inside away.
"Oh, Brother Liu, I'm sorry, I didn't know you were by the door." Xiao Xu scratched his head awkwardly, but he didn't have time to check Brother Liu's expression. Instead, he hurriedly said, "Boss Ding, Chairman Ning is here."
Neither Mr. Ding nor Brother Liu reacted: "Who did you say came?"
Xiao Xu was so anxious that he almost jumped up and down: "Director Ning, Ning Changsheng from Ningchuan Group, Director Ning!"
Mr. Ding's expression changed.
Hadn't he contacted Ning Changsheng's special assistant and asked him to tell Ning Changsheng to recuperate in the hospital? Although he didn't directly tell Ning Changsheng not to come, everyone had been in the business world for so many years and was smarter than a monkey. Couldn't they have missed the hidden meaning?
While he was thinking silently, a figure slowly appeared outside the open door.
Ning Changsheng's special assistant knocked symbolically on the door. The thumping continued unabated, startling CEO Ding and his group, who were lost in their own thoughts. He pushed the door open, revealing a suited figure with a smile on his face, though his eyes held no smile. He looked at CEO Ding and greeted him, "CEO Ding, do you remember me? I'm CEO Ning's special assistant, and I was the one who spoke to you earlier."
Upon hearing this, President Ding quickly pushed Xiao Xu and Brother Liu aside and nodded, "Hey, I remember, Special Assistant Zhang, right?"
Although the action was polite, Mr. Dante couldn't help but mutter in his heart——
This special assistant surnamed Zhang raised his chin when he looked at everyone, seemingly smiling, but in fact his eyes were full of disdain, as if he was taking advantage of his power and bullying others without taking anyone seriously.
Special Assistant Zhang didn't say anything extra, but instead said, "Director Ning is a man of his word. He might have been unable to attend this business forum due to his hospitalization, but he's recovered so well these past two days. Look, he flew here from Yuantie Province early this morning. President Ding can see that Director Ning also values your exchange meeting very much, so..."
He paused slightly, his eyes fixed on President Ding: "Director Ning's position will remain the same, right?"
President Ding: “…”
A drop of cold sweat dripped down Mr. Ding's forehead.
What a joke! He had originally arranged a spot for Ning Changsheng in the middle. While it wasn't exactly center position, it was still fairly even. After confirming that Ning Changsheng wouldn't be there, there was no way he was going to leave that spot empty. It would be so awkward to leave it empty for photos and videos.
Now that position is occupied by an old entrepreneur.
Mr. Ding was unable to answer for a long time. Seeing that his eyes were almost bloodshot from anxiety, Special Assistant Zhang said slowly, "I think the place might be a little dirty. I'll give Mr. Ding a little time. Please go and clean it up first."
Special Assistant Zhang raised his hand and glanced at his wrist: "Half an hour, I think it's not a problem for President Ding."
He didn't stay in the office, but turned and walked out the door, closing it considerately.
Inside the door, Mr. Ding wiped his forehead, turned around and kicked the table hard. Unfortunately, the solid wood table was as hard as a rock. Mr. Ding kicked it, but the table didn't move at all, and his foot almost limped.
He grimaced in pain, his face turned even paler, and more cold sweat flowed down his forehead.
Seeing this, Xiao Xu and Brother Liu quickly helped him sit on the sofa next to them. Xiao Xu poured him a glass of water, and Brother Liu whispered, "Boss Ding, what should we do now? That position is occupied by Zhai Hong."
Zhai Hong is now in his seventies. His business may not be that big now, but he made his fortune early. His hometown is Xingling Province, where the real estate industry was booming at the time, but soon fell into a slump, leaving many companies with unfinished projects. The people of Xingling, having given their money only to receive dilapidated, unfinished buildings, were devastated, leading to a reported 30 suicides in a single day.
When the government was thinking about how to solve this dilemma, Zhai Hong took the initiative to come to the door with his secretary and took over these unfinished buildings, providing a guarantee for the people of Xingling Province.
This incident was reported again and again by newspapers and media across the country. Even after many years, some people would bring it up again, comparing Zhai Hong back then with the unscrupulous entrepreneurs of today.
Zhai Hong holds a special position in the hearts of the people of Xingling Province, and also in the hearts of the people of the whole country.
He had invited Zhai Hong, who had long since retired and was enjoying his retirement. The Chamber of Commerce members praised him profusely, believing him to be capable. Later, he also wanted to put Zhai Hong in the front and center position, but Zhai Hong waved his hand and said, "Let the young people have the chance."
It just so happened that Ning Changsheng was not coming, so General Ding arranged for Zhai Hong to go over.
When Zhai Hong heard that the original candidate for this position was not available, he did not refuse.
Who would have thought that Ning Changsheng would come again!
President Ding couldn't help but curse inwardly. He couldn't understand Ning Changsheng's reasoning. Hadn't he caused a serious incident at the convention center the other day, and hadn't everyone online been saying he was dying? Why would he sit up from his deathbed and take a four-hour flight to Beijing North just for a business forum? He was like a lunatic!
"Zhai Hong's position cannot be replaced," President Ding said with a sullen face. "No matter how big Ning Changsheng's business is, his status and reputation cannot match Zhai Hong's. If we really drive Zhai Hong away for Ning Changsheng, we'll be criticized by the whole country tomorrow, and the chairman won't be able to help us."
Mr. Ding thought for a moment and said, "Let's move him out to a seat in the first row."
The theme of this business forum was technology and innovation, and since most of the people involved in this industry were young, the Chamber of Commerce had reserved the front-row seats for business leaders with achievements in technologies like artificial intelligence. Mr. Ding remembered a young man there, perhaps only about 25 or 26 years old, who had graduated from the Computer Science Department at Peking University. He was quite talented, but he was given the front-row seat because of his professorship.
"That's him. Ask him to change seats."
There is really no better way to deal with this matter. The seats at the exchange meeting are arranged according to the identity and status of the CEOs. Changing seats temporarily will definitely offend people, but offending Ning Changsheng, offending Zhai Hong, or offending a young upstart who is just starting out is a good choice.
Brother Liu nodded immediately: "Okay, I'll go there right away."
on site.
The Shen and Huo families' businesses did not involve emerging technologies, so their locations were a bit off-center, but neither of them cared much about it. At this moment, they felt that the location was a good choice because there was an empty seat next to them where Sang Qiqi was sitting.
Shen Wanglan glanced at the phone, then turned his head to look at Huo Chengji, who was listening to Sang Qiqi chewing on a lollipop, and said, "Ning Changsheng is here."
Um?
Huo Chengji was stunned, and Sang Qiqi also raised her eyebrows.
"Isn't he still in the hospital in Yuantie Province?"
"That's how it should have been, but someone saw him at the airport this morning. My bodyguard just saw them enter the commercial center building. They should be coming this way."
Sang Qiqi pricked up her ears and, taking advantage of the surrounding noise, boldly chatted with them, "It's not that surprising. I guess he felt that watching Xing Shuyang's antics on TV wasn't enough, so he came here in person. It's always more interesting in person than in front of the screen."
However, with his arrival, Sang Qiqi's play will become more interesting.
Huo Chengji chuckled when he heard this: "He really is as narrow-minded as everyone says."
As the two men and the ghost chatted, Brother Liu hurriedly pushed open the door and entered. He headed straight for the first row, stopping in front of the seat marked 'Qi Yuanwu'. He then leaned over and began to mutter something. A moment later, those who looked over out of curiosity saw that the young man named Qi Yuanwu's face had darkened, and a hint of anger etched across his features.
Qi Yuanwu was a child of destiny, admired by his classmates from childhood. His excellent academic performance and teacher liking for him meant he had a smooth and trouble-free life. But today, as his career flourished, someone suddenly approached him, demanding a change of position, all the while urging him to "give Chairman Ning a favor today, and he'll definitely treat you well."
Qi Yuanwu got angry.
Today's business forum was being broadcast live, and there were countless of his former classmates gathered in front of the TV. If they saw him being driven from the front row to the back, wouldn't they laugh to death at the class reunion tomorrow? How could Qi Yuanwu even have the nerve to leave the house?!
Thinking of this, he sneered on the spot: "Giving away the other party's position without confirming whether Director Ning would come or not. That was your work mistake. It has nothing to do with me. I don't agree."
"Hey! Why can't you make sense?" Brother Liu thought of the half-hour time limit and became anxious. "That's Director Ning. He has enough funds to buy several of your companies. Any money he slips out of his fingers can take your company's R&D funds to a higher level. You won't lose anything if you give him the position!"
This is the truth, but Qi Yuanwu just can't swallow it.
He twitched his lips and suddenly raised his voice, spreading it all around. "Your behavior is simply wrong. I came here at your invitation, and you arranged this position for me. Now that Director Ning is here, there's no room for him. Why should I give it up? Are you picking on me because I'm young and have no backing?"
Brother Liu: “…”
Brother Liu never dreamed that this boy, though young, was so good at stirring up trouble. As he raised his voice, the voices around him suddenly became quieter, and more eyes were focused on Brother Liu and Qi Yuanwu.
"What's going on? Is Director Ning referring to Ning Changsheng? He's here again?"
"Oh, the organizers thought Ning Changsheng couldn't come, so they cancelled his spot. Now Ning Changsheng is here again... and there's no spot? Tsk, these organizers are pretty funny."
"That guy is right. He picks on the weak. Looking from the front row, he's the easiest to pick on."
"It's not kind. It's really not kind."
A few sneers and teasing laughter reached Brother Liu's ears, and his face instantly turned as red as a monkey's butt, his skin burning with anger, and he became at a loss. But Ning Changsheng was watching him from behind, and no matter how embarrassing it was, he had to give up his seat to Ning Changsheng. Just as he was about to bite the bullet and continue to persuade Qi Yuanwu, Zhai Hong had already heard what had happened from the people next to him. He stood up with the help of his crutches, and although his voice was not loud, Brother Liu could still hear it clearly:
"Okay, why bother a young man? I'll sit somewhere else."
After the words fell, Brother Liu was confused. He looked at Zhai Hong who had already walked to the side in astonishment, not knowing what to say.
The people around couldn't help but sigh in emotion.
Everyone says that Zhai Hong has a good temper. This old man, who is over 70 years old, doesn't care at all about his status in the eyes of others.
In the strange atmosphere, Shen Wanglan stood up and whispered, “Master Zhai, if you don’t mind, come up and sit with us.”
There was no one on Shen Wanglan's right, so Zhai Hong coming over was a good choice, provided that Zhai Hong didn't mind the remote location. Obviously, he didn't mind. When he saw Shen Wanglan, he smiled immediately: "I remember you, the kid from the Shen family, right?"
Then his gaze turned to Huo Chengji, who had stood up beside him, and his smile deepened. "I knew your grandmother. When she passed away, I wanted to come and see her off, but unfortunately I had some health problems at the time and had to stay in the hospital for a while."
When Huo Chengji heard him mention the old lady of the Huo family, his expression softened: "I often hear grandma mention you too."
"Hahaha, you're probably complaining about me. It's not the first time that we've competed for business with each other." Zhai Hong walked over with a smile and sat down on the right side of Shen Wanglan with satisfaction.
When Brother Liu saw that the position originally belonging to Ning Changsheng was vacant, and then saw that Zhai Hong did not seem angry, he felt relieved. He thought that Zhai Hong was really the same as the rumors said. He was willing to give up his position voluntarily. It was rare to find such an old-fashioned entrepreneur with a broad perspective.
He hurried back to report to President Ding. Minutes later, under everyone's gaze, Ning Changsheng, dressed in a white suit, walked through the main entrance of the venue. Without even raising an eyebrow, the middle-aged man casually twirled his bracelet with his right hand as he headed straight for the empty seat left by Zhai Hong. As he passed the first row, he tilted his head, his dark, deep eyes fixed on Qi Yuanwu.
Qi Yuanwu met Ning Changsheng's gaze and his heart skipped a beat.
But Ning Changsheng quickly looked away and sat down in the empty seat. The boss next to him greeted him cordially, "Director Ning, I didn't expect you to come. I've been feeling really bad since I heard you weren't coming."
"That's right." The others around echoed and tried to tease, "But the person who was supposed to come has disappeared."
"Why is Xing Shuyang still here? Chairman Ning is here, so there's nothing for him to do now."
Ning Changsheng hadn't heard about Xing Shuyang's disappearance; he'd actually hoped for him to be there. Without Xing Shuyang, how could Mei Yishan take action? How could he demonstrate to his netizens the true meaning of divine retribution? Just as his spirits were flagging, there was another noise at the gate. Glancing over, he saw the aforementioned Xing Shuyang approaching. A closer look revealed a wound on his cheek, and a faint scarlet mark on the collar of his white shirt.
"Lao Shu, you're here! I remember you left home quite early. What took you so long?"
The person who spoke was Xing Shuyang's good friend. Xing Shuyang smiled at him and replied, "I encountered a car accident on the road and went down to lend a hand."
"No wonder, come and sit down."
Xing Shuyang walked towards his friend and glanced at Ning Changsheng, who was looking at him leisurely with a hint of interest in his gloomy eyes. He continued walking forward without changing his expression until he sat down.
During the meeting, President Ding came to the venue and, with a humble look, approached Ning Changsheng and asked if he would like to give a speech as originally planned. Ning Changsheng unexpectedly declined. Ning Changsheng leaned back in his chair, twirling his bracelet with his fingers, and said with a half-smile, "No need. Since the opportunity has been given to President Xing, let him take the stage. I'd also like to hear his views on emerging industries."
Sang Qiqi's gaze fell on Ning Changsheng from afar across the crowd.
It was no surprise to see the middle-aged man in the next seat, who had flattered Ning Changsheng the moment he arrived, rubbing his arms and muttering, "Why is the air conditioner so cold?"
She curled her red lips.
It must be cold, with an evil ghost right next to you.
Her gaze shifted from the demon to Ning Changsheng. She stroked her chin, observing him intently. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a small string of Three Purities Bells hanging from his neck. These Three Purities Bells… she slowly raised her eyebrows, mentally planning how to pull them off Ning Changsheng's neck.
-
Because of the presence of Zhai Hong, Huo Chengji couldn't talk to Sang Qiqi anymore, for fear of being treated as a psychopath by Zhai Hong.
Time passed by minute by minute, and soon, it was time for Xing Shuyang to take the stage to speak. The seemingly elegant and refined man bowed to everyone present and said with a smile, "I'm honored that the Jingbei Chamber of Commerce has given me this opportunity."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Changsheng tapped the armrest with his finger. Seeing this, Mei Yishan raised his hand without hesitation and swung it. A powerful ghost energy shot out, which was supposed to hit Xing Shuyang's chest, but inexplicably dissipated as it approached Xing Shuyang. Mei Yishan was stunned for a moment, then realized that Xing Shuyang must have some kind of protective device on him.
Thinking of Ning Changsheng's instructions, if he wanted to seriously injure Xing Shuyang, he had to destroy the protective treasure on Xing Shuyang first.
He frowned and leaned forward.
As the figure passed by the CEOs in the front row, everyone subconsciously touched the back of their neck.
It's chilly.
Seeing Mei Yishan leave, Sang Qiqi stood up without hesitation and walked over to Ning Changsheng's side. Glancing at Mei Yishan, who had his back to her, the smile on her lips widened. Unconcerned about whether Ning Changsheng would notice something was amiss, she raised her hand and headed for the Three Purities Bell. Protective items are not always friendly to ghosts, but Sang Qiqi, having learned her lesson from the burns, ignored the sizzling, burning sensation. When her fingers touched the skin on Ning Changsheng's neck, he seemed to frown and placed his hand on his neck.
The next moment, he felt a tightness at the back of his neck. Before he could look down to see what was happening, Sang Qiqi effortlessly pulled the red thread and the Three Purities Bell away. Ning Changsheng, whose fingers didn't touch the Three Purities Bell, was startled. He suddenly looked down, and his neck felt empty!
The Sanqing Bell is missing!
His expression suddenly changed and he stood up quickly.
The people around him were startled by his reaction and looked at him in shock, as if they didn't expect that he would attack Xing Shuyang at this moment.
But surprisingly, Ning Changsheng said nothing and stood up to leave.
Sang Qiqi had no intention of letting him go. Without the Sanqing Bell, Ning Changsheng was as fragile as a porcelain bowl; a single blow would shatter him. At the same time, Mei Yishan, oblivious to the movement behind him, forcibly removed the jade bead from Xing Shuyang's wrist. The bead fell to the ground with a clatter, as if its string had broken.
Xing Shuyang looked down, then quickly looked away, his expression unchanged.
Seeing this, Mei Yishan took action again.
He raised his hand, and a dense, ghostly aura instantly enveloped all the overhead chandeliers. With a crackling sound, the lights on the stage dimmed, and the chandeliers plummeted downward, heading straight for Xing Shuyang's head. But just as the two sides made contact, and screams rang out from all around, the doors on both sides of the venue suddenly opened, and a gust of cold wind blew in. The powerful force of the wind blew the chandeliers directly towards Ning Changsheng, who had just stepped into the aisle.
Mei Yishan reacted extremely quickly. When he sensed the sudden cold wind, he knew that someone was playing tricks around him. He took a deep breath and used his ghost energy to try to forcibly move the chandelier that was about to hit Ning Changsheng away. However, before the ghost energy flew over, it was stopped by a hand with five slender white fingers.
Sang Qiqi's figure appeared in front of Mei Yishan, rubbed the ghost energy, and threw it back.
Bang.
The ghost energy fell from up and down, and sat on the chandelier. The chandelier, which had suffered a huge impact and weight, fell rapidly. After a loud bang, Ning Changsheng, who had just been discharged from the hospital, was crushed half to death by the chandelier again.
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