Chapter 13: As for Ye Wanlan, she never fights a battle without preparation

“The Madam is correct,” Butler Zhou smiled. “Then I hope this Miss Ye has some self-awareness.”

Madam Zhou suddenly said, “I am still uneasy about this cooperation with President Quan. What if He Chen is called away by Sheng Yunyi again with a single phone call? That would be disastrous.”

Butler Zhou understood her meaning. “I understand, Madam. The Master is still abroad on business; I will convey your instructions to the General Manager.”

“Go on,” Madam Zhou nodded.

As Butler Zhou withdrew, he heard the sound of a heated argument coming from the third-floor study. He shook his head and quickly left the area.

“Zhou He Chen, don't you dare try to play me,” inside the study, Xu Lu slammed the table and said coldly, “If you can't control your own people, I won't mind helping you manage them.”

“I don't need Young Master Xu to worry about my affairs,” Zhou He Chen said with a faint smile. “I will, of course, manage my own people well.”

He truly did not want any further entanglement with Ye Wanlan, but it was impossible for Xu Lu to use this matter to step on him.

“Manage them well?” Xu Lu mocked. “If you could manage them well, why is Qin Xian still lying in the hospital? How did she have the audacity to barge into my private booth today? Zhou He Chen, you wouldn't want Yunyi to be sad, would you?”

Zhou He Chen's gaze turned instantly cold. He pulled a bank card from his wallet. “One million.”

Xu Lu sneered, “Not enough.”

Zhou He Chen restrained his anger. “I'll give you the Fengcheng contract.”

“Brother He Chen is truly generous.” Only then did Xu Lu show a sincere smile. “Then this matter ends here. Rest assured, I won't cause trouble for your little mistress, nor will I say a word in front of Yunyi.”

With that, he swaggered out of the Zhou residence.

Zhou He Chen lit a cigarette and contacted Ye Wanlan with a cold expression.

After two beeps, the call connected.

“Hello.” The girl's voice was cool, like the first snowfall of early winter.

“How much longer do you plan to make a scene? I have given you enough time; is this how you choose to act?” Zhou He Chen felt a deep sense of annoyance and said coldly, “Do you think that by causing trouble, they will come looking for me to grab my attention? How immature.”

There was no response. His anger flared further. “Do you have nothing to say?”

“I do.” Ye Wanlan finally spoke, her tone indifferent. “You certainly have a lot of phone numbers.”

Zhou He Chen froze. A cold "beep-beep" sounded from the receiver.

When he tried calling back, it wouldn't go through.

She had blocked him again.

Xu Li, who had been watching the whole process, said blankly, “Brother He Chen, could it be that she really isn't chasing after you anymore? That shouldn't be possible...”

This comment only increased Zhou He Chen's irritability; he felt a sudden, dull sensation of emptiness in his chest.

He stared at Xu Li. “What do you mean by that?”

Startled, Xu Li hurriedly apologized, “I-I'm sorry, Brother He Chen, I misspoke.”

Ignoring him, Zhou He Chen dialed the number for the Director of Huangchi Entertainment. His tone was cold and detached: “Yes, terminate all her work. Her management contract is also terminated.”

Without work and without a source of income, Ye Wanlan would be unable to survive in Jiangcheng; she would come back to beg him.

***

The next day, 8:30 AM, Huiteng Company Headquarters.

A middle-aged man entered the main entrance in a hurry.

The secretary receiving him whispered, “President Liu, the new Chairperson has arrived.”

The General Manager frowned. “Arrived?”

“Yes, she arrived at eight this morning, even earlier than us.”

“It seems she really wants to make a grand entrance as the new official. Where is the joint resignation letter?”

“It's been delivered; it's in the Chairperson's office.”

“That is indeed strange,” the General Manager said in surprise. “It's been half an hour, and there hasn't been any movement from her.”

He had only received notice yesterday that Lin Weilan had appointed a new Chairperson to take over Huiteng.

That was one thing, but to have it be a young girl not even twenty years old, who hadn't even graduated high school!

Wasn't this sheer madness?

He had worked diligently at Huiteng for ten years; even if he hadn't achieved great glory, he had put in the hard work. Why should he hand over the fruits of his labor just like that?

No one accepted Ye Wanlan's sudden appointment, which was why the joint resignation letter existed today.

“I'm not sure. The door has been closed the whole time with no movement. She's probably panicking and calling for reinforcements,” the secretary smiled. “With so many people resigning, how can she handle it? She can only pack up and leave.”

The General Manager said disdainfully, “As long as she understands.”

Women should stay at home to support their husbands and raise children; why bother making a scene in the workplace?

The General Manager did not report to Ye Wanlan and instead returned to his own office.

At exactly nine o'clock, all employees were in their positions.

“I wonder who this new Chairperson actually is.”

“A dropout, not even an MBA...”

At this very moment, on the third floor, in the Chairperson's office.

Cheng Qingli was trembling with fear. “Sister Lan, you've been sitting here for an hour. Should we...”

She had accompanied Ye Wanlan to the company today, only to be met with a joint resignation letter signed by nearly fifty people.

The entire Huiteng Company only consisted of about 65 people.

“Mm, it's nine o'clock. Working hours have begun.” Ye Wanlan leaned back in her chair. “Mark those who haven't arrived as late. Those whose names are on the resignation letter are to be dismissed immediately.”

Cheng Qingli recorded them one by one.

Ye Wanlan said, “Good, we can start the meeting.”

“A meeting? But the employees are all...” Before Cheng Qingli could finish, she saw Ye Wanlan typing a string of characters into the computer.

She couldn't understand it; it looked like some kind of program.

After finishing, Ye Wanlan pressed the Enter key.

*Beep, beep, beep!*

At that moment, every employee's computer emitted an alarm, and the screens went dark.

“What's going on? A hacker attack? Whose business war is this high-end? Don't people just play with money trees these days?”

“What happened? Is it a virus or a power outage?”

The General Manager looked at his own pitch-black screen and frowned. “What is the IT department doing?”

The secretary was also bewildered. “I'll go ask right now.”

Just as he lifted his foot, the computer screen lit up again.

It wasn't a screensaver, but a face.

There was no denying the beauty of this face; every inch of her skin looked like fine jade, delicate and soft.

Yet, she had nothing to do with the word "soft." She simply sat quietly in her swivel chair with her hands clasped, and her presence was overwhelming.

The girl's blue eyes were like the ocean; her sharp gaze swept over everyone like a predator on the hunt.

“...”

Silence fell.

The employees stared blankly at the screen, unable to comprehend the scene before them.

“I apologize for meeting you in this manner. First, let me introduce myself: I am Ye Wanlan.” Ye Wanlan spoke slowly. “From today onwards, I am your new Chairperson.”

Many people snapped out of it, and varying levels of sneering laughter erupted from different offices.

The General Manager pointed at the computer, laughing until tears came to his eyes. “She actually thinks she's the Chairperson.”

Huiteng Garments had suffered losses for three consecutive quarters, and the Lin family hadn't even bothered to intervene, letting it fend for itself. What could Ye Wanlan possibly do?

“None of you believe me. I understand; that is the thinking of a normal person. However, you should not use this to blackmail me. To those whose names I call next, I have accepted your resignations.” Ye Wanlan smiled slightly. “Thank you all for your contributions to the company; you have saved the company a large amount in severance pay.”

“...”

A deathly silence followed; the employees were stunned.

Ye Wanlan gave them no time to think or react, speaking directly: “Lin Geng, Luo Yinqiu, Wu Yi...”

She stopped only after calling out more than thirty names.

The General Manager's expression shifted from mockery to shock, and finally to terror.

These people were the ones most responsible for skimming off the top, including the Finance Director who forged accounts to take kickbacks.

The reason he knew this so clearly was because he was also involved.

But how did Ye Wanlan know?

“Also, General Manager Liu, you are fired as of today.” Ye Wanlan waved the documents in her hand. “Although your name was not on the joint resignation letter, that letter could only be sent to me after your consent. Therefore, I am approving your departure from the company.”

“On what grounds?!” The General Manager stood up abruptly, slamming his hands on the desk and roaring at the computer screen, “You have no right! You cannot do this!”

Even Lin Weilan hadn't fired him. Ye Wanlan had just assumed the position of Chairperson; what right did she have to this power?

To fire him without cause would mean, according to labor laws, paying him at least one million in compensation.

He bet that Ye Wanlan wouldn't have the guts!

Ye Wanlan said indifferently, “For the crimes of illegal profiteering for relatives and friends and financial fraud—if you have anything else to say, save it for the court.”

Ye Wanlan never fought a battle without preparation.