Guan Zhanhong didn’t say anything else , but his furrowed brows relaxed slightly, revealing an aggrieved expression.  

“You are still his son, his flesh and blood. He wouldn’t think so badly of you. Don’t listen to outsiders who say your father doesn’t care about you or love you. At least from what I know, he has always been thinking about your future,” Jiang Quyan comforted him.  

Guan Zhanhong rubbed his nose, which was starting to feel sore. “I know.”  

Jiang Quyan looked at the string of numbers on the paper. “By doing this, you’re putting yourself against your uncle. Have you really thought it through? You could be in danger. Your uncle is a madman.”  

Guan Zhanhong shrugged. “He’s my mom’s brother, but my dad is my real father. Who do you think is closer to me? I’m not that stupid.”  

Jiang Quyan nodded and put the envelope away. “Does anyone else know you looked for these people?”  

“No one,” Guan Zhanhong replied. “I think my uncle’s ambitions go beyond just a few board seats and subsidiary companies. Ultimately, what he wants is my dad’s Chairman position. Given the current board situation, it’s unlikely he’ll gain control over Fuzheng, but that doesn’t mean he won’t resort to non-traditional or illegal means to achieve his goal.”  

That meant Guan Zhengying was in danger.  

Jiang Quyan took a sharp breath. “Do you know anything else? Is he already planning something against the boss?”  

“I’m just speculating. I’m not sure,” Guan Zhanhong admitted, noticing how nervous Jiang Quyan was about Guan Zhengying’s safety. “My uncle wouldn’t tell me what he’s planning, but lately, his behavior has been suspicious.”  

“In what way?”  

“This week, his wife and two sons went to Taiwan, officially to visit her family—since my aunt is Taiwanese. But his top bodyguard has also been in Taiwan for a week and hasn’t come back.”  

“You’re saying he’s moving his family away first to prevent them from becoming hostages?”  

“If it was just a visit, he wouldn’t need such strong security.”  

“Anything else?”  

“The day after he was removed from the board, he sold off a portion of his company shares and cashed in a large sum. Because of this, the company’s stock has been fluctuating these past few days. People don’t understand why a major shareholder is suddenly pulling out. And if he holds fewer shares, his chances of returning to the board decrease. Without returning to the board, there’s no way he can take over the company.”  

That was indeed strange. Jiang Quyan pondered, “How many shares does he actually have?”  

Guan Zhanhong knew the breakdown better. “He inherited 16% from my grandfather. After selling some, he now holds less than 5%.”  

“You inherited your mother’s shares, didn’t you?”  

“Yes, but it’s nothing compared to his. My mother had very few shares—less than 1%, around 0.8%.”  

Jiang Quyan put away the envelope. “I’ll report this to the boss. You don’t need to get involved anymore. If you keep digging, your uncle will notice you. You should lay low for a while—don’t be too high-profile. Just follow your dad’s arrangements.”  

Guan Zhanhong was a little dissatisfied. “Hey, I showed my sincerity. What about you? No reaction at all?”  

Jiang Quyan smiled. “Not bad. I like this gift. You put in some real effort.”  

Guan Zhanhong’s face lit up with pride.  

“Actually, I forgot to tell you something that day,” Jiang Quyan said playfully, winking at him. “Your dad decided to let you rest for a while, and then he’ll transfer you to the Chairman’s secretary office. He’ll personally mentor you.”  

Guan Zhanhong’s entire face brightened. “Really?” Then, he suddenly realized, “Wait, you knew all along?”  

Jiang Quyan struggled to hold back his laughter. “I originally wanted to tell you on your resignation day to cheer you up, but somehow, I forgot. Ah, look at me—getting old, becoming forgetful.”  

“You’re messing with me!” Guan Zhanhong was furious. “I should have known better than to trust you! My mom even warned me…”  

“Let your mom rest in peace. No need to keep bringing up those who’ve passed,” Jiang Quyan said, picking up the wine bottle to pour a drink for the young master. “Alright, I apologize. Sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you.”  

The young master crossed his arms, refusing to accept the apology.  

Jiang Quyan found that, at this moment, Guan Zhanhong resembled his father a little. He leaned in and said, “You can be mad at me, throw a tantrum, whatever you want—but after that, you should go back and apologize to your dad, then follow his lead and learn from him properly. He’s never given up on you. Because of you, he’s been anxious and worried, even questioning whether he’s failed as a father. Ah Hong, he truly loves you. Don’t hurt him anymore.”  

Guan Zhanhong was visibly moved. In a low voice, he murmured, “I know.”  

Jiang Quyan patted his shoulder. “Your dad knows you care about him too, and that will make him happy. If you humbly and earnestly follow his guidance, once he acknowledges you, handing the company over to you will be a natural step. Ignore what outsiders say. Just remember one thing—those who try to drive a wedge between you and your father are the real sinister ones.”  

With the young master settled, Jiang Quyan could finally focus more on work.  

He still hadn’t fully adapted to his role as VP. The responsibilities of a VP were very different from those of a Director. Previously, he had time to oversee specific tasks—coordinating with brands on clothing, attending shoots, drafting PR statements… But now, he had no time for any of that.  

Every day, he was dealing with big-picture issues—quarterly planning for different departments, resource allocation, and strategic direction for the company’s entertainment business not just for the next year, but for the years ahead…

He also held full financial authority over all entertainment affairs, approving related budget plans and investment proposals as part of his responsibilities. One morning, he spent the entire morning listening to a report from the investment department. However, due to his lack of professional knowledge, he even needed the investment manager to explain to him what “fixed-income investments” were—an extremely basic concept. This left the investment manager embarrassed, looking at him with a doubtful gaze.  

After work, he resolved to make up for his shortcomings. He first went to a bookstore and bought a stack of finance and investment books, then called his good friend Luo Jiajun over to give him lessons. However, Luo Jiajun, who had successfully transitioned to a partner role and was extremely busy, had to work overtime and canceled at the last minute. Jiang Quyan then had a sudden idea—he called Sussi and invited her to visit Fuzheng.  

Since their last meeting in Japan, he and Sussi had gradually lost contact. Both of them tacitly avoided mentioning how Guan Zhengying had climbed 31 flights of stairs to deliver a late-night meal. Moreover, during his two months in Japan, Jiang Quyan had been in low spirits and emotionally downcast. Not only did he not contact Sussi, but he also rarely reached out to other friends.  

Sussi readily agreed to the invitation when she received his message. Three days later, the senior partner appeared at Fuzheng’s reception desk.  

“Wow, this entire building belongs to Fuzheng?” It was her first time at Fuzheng. “The renovation looks great.”  

Jiang Quyan first took her on a tour of the lobby. “At first, Fuzheng only rented two floors here. During the 1998 financial crisis, many companies went bankrupt, and office spaces couldn’t be rented out. The landlord had no choice but to sell the building. Our boss took the opportunity to buy the whole place at a low price. Now, everything above the 15th floor belongs to Fuzheng, while the floors below are leased out. The rent has already doubled since the purchase.”  

Sussi was already familiar with Fuzheng’s financial reports. “I know. The rental income makes up a significant portion of your annual revenue.”  

Jiang Quyan pointed to several bronze tripods in the lobby. “Right after buying the building, they had a feng shui master evaluate everything. He suggested placing these items to stabilize the space and attract wealth. And you know what? After placing them, the spaces that were difficult to lease out finally started generating rent.”  

Sussi, accustomed to business people’s superstitions, shrugged. “As long as it makes money, who cares? I’ve even seen companies put toads in their lobbies.”  

Jiang Quyan burst out laughing. “Isn’t that a bit weird?”  

“It’s not just weird—it’s eerie.”  

“Feng shui masters aren’t always accurate, are they?”  

“Hong Kong businessmen love this stuff. Foreign companies never do it, though.”  

Jiang Quyan led her to the elevator. While waiting, they casually discussed corporate financing.  

“Honestly, New Bridge has been interested in Fuzheng for a while,” Sussi admitted. “But we weren’t sure if your boss was open to it. Not all business owners welcome investment firms getting involved. We’ve encountered some conservative bosses who still believe they must hold at least 50% of the company’s shares.”  

Jiang Quyan had already tested Guan Zhengying’s stance before inviting her. “Fuzheng has done equity financing before, but we’ve had little interaction with investment firms, so our boss wants to be cautious. New Bridge is a major institution with a solid reputation, which reassures us. I told him you’d be visiting today—he even said he’d like to speak with you.”  

Sussi was surprised. “Really? Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”  

Jiang Quyan was about to explain when the elevator arrived. With a soft ding, the doors opened.  

Guan Zhengying stepped out with a smile. “Oh, you’re here already. Miss Sussi, right? We met briefly in Japan.”  

Sussi quickly extended her hand. “Hello, Mr. Guan.”  

Guan Zhengying shook her hand politely. “Welcome to Fuzheng. Ah Yan, why don’t you show Miss Sussi around first? We can chat in my office later.”  

Guan Zhengying seemed well-prepared for the meeting. He was not only more approachable and polite than Sussi had expected, but he also displayed a high level of professionalism. Initially, she worried he might not understand her, so she deliberately slowed her speech. When technical terms were necessary, she paused to explain. However, Guan Zhengying would sometimes smile and signal that he understood, reassuring her. Compared to Jiang Quyan, who had only recently been promoted to VP, he was clearly more in sync with her conversation.  

The meeting lasted only an hour, but Sussi’s impression of him changed significantly.  

“I’ll have our investment department coordinate with you moving forward,” Guan Zhengying said as he personally escorted her to the company entrance. “I appreciate your help and look forward to a successful partnership.”  

Sussi, pleased with the discussion, responded, “Rest assured, I’ll personally handle this case. Given Fuzheng’s unique circumstances and some of your additional terms, we’ll need to adjust our proposal.”  

Guan Zhengying glanced at Jiang Quyan and smiled. “Thank you for helping us. I’ll host a dinner soon—I’ll bring Ah Yan along, and we’ll have a proper meal together as my way of expressing gratitude.”  

Sussi was caught off guard by his generosity. “You’re too kind.”  

Even Jiang Quyan found Guan Zhengying’s demeanor unusually welcoming. He hadn’t expected him to be so eager to meet Sussi. While Fuzheng indeed needed financing, they weren’t desperate for New Bridge’s investment—there was no reason for such a grand reception.  

After seeing her off, Guan Zhengying continued to praise her. “Your friend is sharp and professional. I’m honored to have met her.”  

Jiang Quyan gave a dry “mm” in response, unsure how to react.  

“I was too impulsive last time,” Guan Zhengying suddenly said, looking at him. “You should have your own friends—whether male or female—it’s just normal socializing. I shouldn’t have interfered.”  

Hearing this, Jiang Quyan became a bit uneasy. “It’s not that serious. You didn’t interfere.”  

The two walked back together.  

“Are you free tonight?” Guan Zhengying asked. “Ah Xue’s travel documents are nearly sorted, so I called the kids back for dinner. After work, I’ll pick you up, and we’ll go home together?”

This was something they had agreed on beforehand. Jiang Quyan nodded. “Okay.”