Chapter 54 Life's Journey
After returning to Xingyao, Nanjiu continued to work as planned. He led the dance troupe to familiarize themselves with the new theater; discussed the plan with the choreographer who had returned from abroad; and met with the directors of each branch to finalize the marketing plan...
Every task was progressing smoothly, yet there was an inexplicable sense of urgency. Not only was Ding Jun aware of this, but the entire management team could sense the quietly rising tension.
Before long, rumors of Nan Jiu and Lin Songyao's breakup spread like a plague, and even the most junior employees became aware of the fierce power struggle between the top management.
Until one day, Lin Songyao, his lawyers, and his audit team suddenly arrived at Xingyao. It was a seemingly peaceful morning, sunlight streaming into the office through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Nan Jiu had just hung up a phone call when a sudden commotion outside shattered the tranquility.
Lin Songyao's men immediately seized control of the office. A single "All work suspended" command instantly froze the atmosphere. The audit team headed straight for the Finance Department, quickly locking down every computer. Lin Songyao, his dark suit accentuating his stern demeanor, walked directly into the largest conference room. He took the main seat and interviewed each department head one by one.
During this time, Nanjiu never left her office. She only called Attorney Gao initially, then continued with her work, as if the turmoil outside had nothing to do with her. Ding Jun knocked on her door three times in a panic. She remained motionless, busy with the task at hand.
The entire company was like a pot of water about to boil, calm on the surface but turbulent beneath. Colleagues exchanged anxious glances, frequently glancing at Nanjiu's closed office door. Every minute felt like an eternity.
Forty minutes later, Attorney Gao and his team arrived at Xingyao. At that moment, Nanjiu's office door finally opened. She was dressed in a beautifully tailored French dress and walked calmly through the office area. The click of her high heels was particularly clear in the dead silence. All eyes were on her, but she didn't look away, heading straight for the conference room filled with the smell of gunpowder.
The moment the door opened, the auras of the two forces collided violently. Nan Jiu walked across from Lin Songyao, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Gao's legal team quickly took their positions beside her, the sound of documents being opened echoing. The entire company was engulfed in a suffocating storm.
Ding Jun, as a shareholder, sat on one side with a very tense expression on his face.
The lawyers on both sides showed amazing professionalism as soon as they clashed.
Attorney Gao was the first to speak out: "According to Article 34 of the company's articles of association, any major changes to the company's operations, finances, and assets must be approved by the board of directors. Without any prior communication procedures, you directly dispatched an audit team to block finances and disrupt operations. This move has seriously exceeded shareholder authority and constitutes illegal interference with the normal operations of Xingyao. We hereby formally protest and demand that you immediately cease all improper conduct."
As soon as he finished speaking, the other party's chief lawyer immediately took over. "Lawyer Gao, we are fully aware of the company's articles of association. According to Chapter 6, Clause 13 of the Supplementary Terms of the Investment Agreement signed between our shareholders and Xingyao, when there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the company's management has committed major dereliction of duty or the company's assets are facing serious risks, we have the right to take necessary temporary supervisory and preservation measures to prevent further losses."
Upon hearing this, Attorney Gao did not directly refute the other party's accusations regarding the evidence. Instead, he precisely addressed the legality of the procedure: "Lawyer Wang, the clause you cited is premised on 'reasonable grounds.' May I ask, has this so-called 'reasonable grounds' been independently determined by a third party? Or is it simply based on unilateral speculation, allowing it to be arbitrarily invoked, wantonly trampling on the company's governance structure?"
"The supplementary clause also clearly stipulates that even when exercising this supervisory power, the impact on the company's normal operations should be minimized. Your direct blockade of the entire finance department and suspension of all operations, does this in itself constitute an abuse of power?"
Lawyer Wang's gaze swept across Nanjiu, finally resting on Lawyer Gao's face. His tone intensified, "The evidence we possess clearly demonstrates that Xingyao has engaged in serious dereliction of duty in at least two recent major related-party transactions, including opaque decision-making processes and financial risks. This may involve deeper violations of laws and regulations. Today, we are exercising our contractual rights of emergency hedging and oversight, which is legally justified and reasonable."
Lawyer Gao's voice suddenly rose, his tone intensifying: "Since you claim to have solid evidence, then according to the information disclosure agreement between us, please immediately produce the originals or notarized copies of this evidence to us, and explain in detail its source and legality.
"At the same time, I must remind you that according to the investment agreement, if you are ultimately unable to prove the existence of an imminent and serious risk, you will be fully liable for all commercial and reputational losses caused by your actions today."
Lawyer Gao was thoroughly prepared, anticipating every possible angle of attack. The negotiations gradually shifted to the business side and the financial chain. Nan Jiu twirled his pen, occasionally scribbling a few words on a sticky note and gently pushing it toward Lawyer Gao.
To Lin Songyao, Xingyao was merely a piece of the puzzle in his capital game. But to Nanjiu, it was the battlefield into which she had poured all her wisdom and energy. At its core, this game pitted careless speculators against an internal mastermind whose fate lay with Xingyao.
The reason why Lin Songyao valued Nan Jiu was because she possessed a rare pragmatism and precision.
She can quote the purchase price of every tile under her feet, accurately describe the organizational structure and labor costs of each department, grasp every financial flow, and even know all the details of every project from its inception to its implementation.
Because of this, her brain was a walking, sophisticated computer, recording all of Xingyao's data and business logic. Every time she silently passed a note to Attorney Gao, it was like a crucial move by a chess player. Based on this information, Attorney Gao swiftly switched offense and defense. Even sitting across from him was a team of veteran lawyers in the industry, and in such an intense and fierce exchange, they could hardly gain the upper hand.
Ding Jun, who was listening in, had a solemn expression on his face. Various legal terms were whistling in his ears, and the increasingly tense atmosphere made him more and more anxious.
Lin Songyao looked at Nanjiu coldly the entire time, as if he could see through her. Nanjiu occasionally met Lin Songyao's gaze, but it was just a faint glance.
The negotiations lasted two hours and reached a deadlock.
Nan Jiu raised her wrist, glanced at her watch, and turned to Ding Jun: "It's twelve o'clock." Her voice broke the tension in the meeting room, "Tell the hotel downstairs to arrange two private rooms, and take the lawyers to dinner first."
Then she turned to Lin Songyao, a faint smile on her lips: "Boss Lin, why don't we talk for a while in private?"
This wasn't a question, but a calm instruction.
Everyone understood and stood up one after another, their chair legs scraping against the floor with a slight sound. As the others left, the computers and documents on the desks were also taken away. In a moment, they were the only two people left in the huge conference room.
"Why bother?" Nan Jiu pushed the notebook aside. "We're all tied together by a thread. If you destroy me, will Xingyao be able to develop better?"
Lin Songyao's eyes were cold. "Nanjiu, are you too naive? Do you really think this world of fame and fortune is your backyard, where you can come and go as you please? You should have thought it through the moment you stepped in. It's not that easy to get out."
"I'm going to ask you one last time," Nanjiu fixed his gaze on him, "Do you really have to do this to such an extreme?"
Lin Songyao sneered, tapping his fingertips lightly on the conference table. "I'll only give you one way: stay with me. Besides that, if you want anything else, Xingyao's shares, connections, or status, we can all discuss it."
“What if I don’t choose this path?”
Lin Songyao leaned forward, his aura pressing down on him. "I will mobilize all my resources to make sure you're completely invisible in this world."
The last trace of kindness in Nanjiu's eyes completely disappeared, leaving only coldness.
"I was having dinner with a media friend the other day, and she asked me if I had any news worth sharing. I wonder if this media friend knew that your father already had an illegitimate child with the head of one of their branches, would that be considered bombshell news? Or, if your always-respected eldest brother's soul mate is a man ten years his senior, who also has close business ties with your father, would that be considered groundbreaking news?"
Lin Songyao's pupils suddenly contracted, and anger instantly filled his eyes. He almost gritted his teeth and asked, "Are you investigating our family?"
"Investigate?" Nanjiu tilted his head slightly, revealing a hint of sarcasm. "I have to know what kind of family I'm marrying into. Knowing yourself and your enemy—isn't that the most basic rule of survival?"
"Do you think you're innocent?" Lin Songyao, feeling sore, snapped back. "Before getting married, you were still hanging out with that so-called uncle from your hometown. Do you believe I can completely ruin your reputation?"
"Do you think I care? Or do you think he cares?" The sarcasm in her eyes deepened. "You, the Lin family, all think I'm easy to manipulate. Have you ever thought that I, who am barefoot, am not afraid of those who wear shoes?
"Your father has probably known about your brother's affairs for a long time. Only in recent years has he been forced to consider shifting his focus towards you. But after all, he is the eldest son of your Lin family. If these scandals that are enough to disgrace your family were to be exposed through your hands, or in other words, because of your coercion, what do you think your father, who values his reputation so much, would react? Would he still feel comfortable handing over the family business to an ignorant son?"
Lin Songyao's face was filled with unconcealed shock. He had thought that the document bag Nanjiu had pulled out that day at the Civil Affairs Bureau had already reached the limit of her cunning. He hadn't expected that with every step he took, she would reveal a new card, each one more ruthless and deadly than the last. Watching her strategizing, he couldn't even tell how many secrets she might be hiding that he didn't know about.
He suddenly felt a deep fear towards the person in front of him.
He knew she was ambitious, but he had no idea her plans were so far-reaching. The Lin family's supposed control and manipulation might, in the end, have been a carefully orchestrated siege. It was only because of that man's appearance that she turned away at the last moment before setting up her chessboard.
If Nan Jiu hadn't stopped in front of the Civil Affairs Bureau, once she'd truly entered the Lin family, with their entanglements becoming increasingly complex, she'd have ruthlessly torn it apart should she ever grow tired of this relationship. By then, even he would have become a discarded pawn in her chess game, ready to be discarded at any moment.
The conference room fell into a long standoff, and the sound of the second hand of the wall clock was infinitely amplified.
Nan Jiu picked up her notebook, her tone suddenly slowing, a hint of fatigue in her voice. "I don't want to get to that point with you. We've accomplished each other over the years. Even if we can't continue this journey together, there's no need for us all to be embarrassed and made a laughing stock of ourselves." She slowly stood up, "Take your people away."
She turned and opened the conference room door. The light outlined a cold silhouette behind her, and the door became an invisible boundary.
Lin Songyao looked at her back and suddenly felt that the thing he had been holding tightly in his hand had broken.
He was used to everyone playing by his rules. But at this moment, Nan Jiu broke free from his control and walked away without looking back.
He had tasted the taste of powerlessness. She was taking his entire empire of power with her, and it was falling apart.
Lin Songyao suddenly stood up and instinctively chased after her. At the end of the corridor, he grabbed Nanjiu's wrist with such force that it hurt. He dragged her towards the elevator without saying anything, completely ignoring the surprised glances from all around.
"Lin Songyao, let me go!" Nan Jiu struggled, with suppressed anger in his voice.
Her strength was no match for his almost uncontrollable grip.
Director Shen from the Finance Department quickly stepped forward and grabbed Lin Songyao's wrist, forcing him to let go with just the right amount of force. Shen pushed Nanjiu behind him, his tall figure blocking Lin Songyao's way. He spoke in a calm, composed tone, "Boss Lin, please sit down and talk. Don't use force."
"Who are you talking to?" Lin Songyao narrowed his eyes and his face was gloomy.
"To you." Director Shen did not give in.
"I think you can't tell the difference between the big and small kings?" Lin Songyao raised his hand to push him away and went straight to Nan Jiu.
Da Qiao rushed over, firmly blocking Nanjiu's way. Immediately, more and more people stepped forward. Mr. Zhou from the marketing department, Ms. Liu from the administration department... one after another, layer upon layer, formed an impenetrable human wall around Nanjiu.
Lin Songyao looked at the scene in disbelief, then laughed in anger: "What are you doing? Are you rebelling?"
Nan Jiu stood quietly behind the crowd, staring at him coldly through the throng of people. Her eyes were calm and composed, yet they were more impactful than any fierce resistance.
The subordinates who once followed his lead now protected Nan Jiu like a solid wall, isolating him from the outside.
Ever since Nanjiu resolved to upgrade her business structure and transform her chain of dance training institutions into a comprehensive performing arts group, she has been steadily building her empire. She relocated her office from the flagship store to an office building, restructuring her staff and organizational structure. She recruited talented artists, formed a professional dance troupe, and established a comprehensive content system and teaching network through both online and offline channels. She pushed for the expansion of branch campuses to more cities, continuously expanding her business vision. All of this has unknowingly forged her into the leader and soul of Xingyao.
For the first time, Lin Songyao truly felt that he was losing her and also losing his unquestionable control over Xingyao.
He had thought he had provided her with shelter and a ladder. Yet, under this roof, she had built her own city. She absorbed everything, digested it all, transforming all she had given into her own flesh and blood.
Across the crowd, he and she locked gazes. This one look, penetrating the future, allowed him to clearly see their fate—either a complete separation or, when she ascended to a higher place, turning all the glances he had cast upon her into mud under her feet.
Lin Songyao withdrew his gaze, and the sound of his footsteps gradually faded away, finally disappearing in the sound of the elevator door opening and closing.
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