Ji Ling and Yan Yixuan were lying together in bed, both completely naked, their legs tangled up with each other.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but feel a bit sentimental—he had really turned into a clingy person.
In the past, he could never stay in the embrace of gentle warmth, but now, he willingly let himself fall into it. And anyone who tried to pull him out of it? He’d beat them up.
It was still daylight outside, and they hadn’t drawn the curtains, letting the sunlight pour in without any hesitation.
Yan Yixuan had his eyes closed, resting his head against Ji Ling’s side, taking a brief nap.
Ji Ling didn’t want to disturb him, but between the two of them, everything was out in the open now. However, there was still the whole matter of the company waiting for Yan Yixuan once they stepped outside.
The reason Ji Ling had come here today was to clear the air.
Ji Ling spoke up, “About the problems with your company, tell me everything.”
Yan Yixuan opened his eyes, looking at his face. After a long pause, he sighed and said, “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it, it’s just… there’s not much to say.”
Ji Ling pressed, “Before issuing new stocks, was Yan Corporation really out of cash?”
Yan Yixuan finally admitted, “Yes. At that time, there was a shortage. Yan Yili immediately wanted to bring in foreign capital. I disagreed, which led to the decision to issue new stocks.”
Ji Ling furrowed his brows. “Originally, your shares and your sister’s combined were 34%, which would have been enough to veto Yan Yili’s plans. After the new stocks were issued, Yan Yili must have been certain you were out of money, which is why he dared to make his move.”
He asked Yan Yixuan, “I thought you’d buy more shares than Yan Yili when the new stocks were issued, but why did the gap between your shares actually get smaller? You clearly got money from me…”
Ji Ling trailed off, suddenly realizing something. Yan Yixuan smiled, reaching out to press his finger between Ji Ling’s eyebrows, making him relax and stop frowning.
“Because I didn’t actually use that money.”
Ji Ling raised an eyebrow.
Yan Yixuan raised an eyebrow as well.
Suddenly, Ji Ling rolled over and lay flat on his back, covering his face and bursting out laughing. “Yan Yixuan, oh Yan Yixuan, that was a risky move. I almost fell for it.”
Yan Yixuan said flatly, “I admit, I had a few tricks up my sleeve.”
He turned Ji Ling’s head to face him, staring into his eyes, and firmly said, “I’m going to completely kick Yan Yili out.”
Ji Ling, being quick-witted, connected the dots after seeing how Yan Corporation’s stock plummeted right after the emergency shareholders’ meeting announcement. He understood Yan Yixuan’s plan.
It was just a pity for the retail investors.
Ji Ling grabbed his hand and kissed it, saying, “Don’t keep anything from me again.” He had really been worried earlier.
For once, Yan Yixuan looked a bit embarrassed. “I wasn’t even thinking about all that stuff, and then you suddenly stormed in, picking a fight. It was totally out of nowhere.”
Ji Ling snuggled up to him and grinned. “Then I’ll train you to think of me all the time, every second.”
Yan Yixuan was completely flustered now. He pushed him away and said, “No way, you’re too cheesy. We need some ground rules—no more clinginess.”
Ji Ling laughed, “So, if I speak to you like I’m negotiating every day, would that be fine?”
Now that the doubts in his heart were gone, and he and Yan Yixuan were finally on the same page, Ji Ling felt like he was glowing from the inside out.
But then… he suddenly remembered—what about Yan Yueshi?
Earlier, they had been running from the garden to the house, kissing all the way. It was one thing if the aunt and the security guards saw them, but if Yan Yueshi saw them, wouldn’t that be awkward?
Ji Ling frowned, shaking Yan Yixuan and asking, “What about your sister?”
Yan Yixuan replied, “She went abroad.”
Ji Ling was shocked. “Already? That fast?” Yan Yueshi had mentioned wanting to study overseas, but this was too quick—were the documents even ready?
Yan Yixuan could see where his thoughts were going, so he explained, “She went ahead to get a feel for the place. She’s not going to a university just yet—she wants to intern at a design studio and learn on the job.”
Ji Ling finally got it. “That kind of setup is stricter, and probably costs a lot more too.”
“Exactly, that’s why she wants to cash out.”
Ji Ling asked, “What are you planning to do with Miss Yan’s shares?”
Yan Yixuan turned over, changing his position. Ji Ling propped up the pillow for him to lean against, listening as he spoke, “She doesn’t understand company matters. I plan to wait for a while, then have her transfer her shares—part of it will fund her studies, and the rest will be managed by the family’s investment platform.”
It was a balanced compromise. Although Yan Yueshi had the right to use her inheritance, she would still listen to Yan Yixuan’s advice.
But still, that little bird was going to fly out of the family nest.
Ji Ling thought, even though he had deliberately tried to provoke Yan Yixuan earlier, Jin Garden truly only had Yan Yixuan left now.
Ji Ling turned his head and looked at Yan Yixuan, saying, “Lucky for you, you still have me.”
Yan Yixuan gave his face a light slap, saying, “I told you, no cheesiness.”
Before the emergency shareholders’ meeting of Yan Corporation, Yan Yixuan and Yan Yili had each led their own lines of defense.
Yan Yili had strong ties to overseas capital, with investment firms that had solid backgrounds. Meanwhile, Yan Yixuan was closely connected to the family’s side of the Yan clan, where the relatives were local tycoons.
No one could predict how the votes would turn out in the end.
The situation among the major shareholders was evenly matched, leaving the final chance to the small shareholders, who held no more than ten percent of the company’s shares.
Just a few days before the stock registration date, Yan Corporation’s stock price fluctuated again. A large-scale purchase of Yan stocks from the secondary market caused the stock price to rise rapidly. Two days later, the stocks were bought again, leading to another surge in the stock price.
Such movements made the media and all those involved with Yan Corporation wary. However, when asked, the company’s spokesperson claimed they didn’t know the reason behind the rise in stock price.
But everyone knew that the ones making moves at this time were either Yan Yixuan or Yan Yili.
When Yan Yili stormed into the chairman’s office once more, Ji Ling was there again.
Yan Yixuan was still sitting behind the desk, with the breathtaking sea view behind him, a sight that could make anyone covetous. Ji Ling sat with his legs crossed, casually watching Yan Yili walk in.
“Your company’s etiquette is really something, no need to knock when entering, just barge into the chairman’s office as you please,” Ji Ling said with a smile, speaking leisurely.
Yan Yili didn’t have time to pay attention to him, and went straight to Yan Yixuan, saying, “You’ve been buying a large amount of stock.”
It was a definitive statement.
Yan Yixuan looked at him directly, saying, “The major shareholder is free to buy stocks in the secondary market, but no more than two percent of the total shares. We both know that, where’s this large-scale buying coming from?”
Yan Yili responded, “Then you must be paying someone to buy for you, purchasing voting rights. This is improper vote-buying.”
Yan Yili glared at Yan Yixuan, but Yan Yixuan didn’t even flinch, replying, “Do you have any evidence?”
If he had evidence, Yan Yili would have sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission already, no need to come here and make empty threats.
“Well, well, Yan Yixuan,” Yan Yili said, stepping forward, leaning over the desk and pressing his hands down. He leaned in closer, asking each word slowly, “Where did you get the money?”
Whether it was for buying stock or purchasing voting rights, both required money.
Yan Yixuan’s cash should have been depleted during the board changes and the previous stock issuance. So where was he getting the money to buy so many shares?
Yan Yili seemed to have thought of something, furrowing his brow, and asked, “Did you sell Jin Garden?”
Yan Yixuan froze, then immediately flared up, saying, “I don’t need to go that far to deal with you.”
Ji Ling, sitting aside, thought to himself, why was Yan Yili always so accurate in poking at the tiger’s sore spot? Jin Garden was Yan Yixuan’s most cherished possession; he would never sell it, even if it meant selling himself.
Yan Yili seemed to have no other ideas on where Yan Yixuan could have possibly gotten so much money.
Let me know if you need anything else!
“Ahem.” Ji Ling coughed lightly from the side.
Only then did Yan Yili turn to look at him.
Ji Ling smiled and, as if claiming credit, said, “The money came from me.”
This time, Yan Yili was the one caught off guard. After a moment, he reacted with fury, saying, “Your company owns shares in Yan Corporation, and you’re giving him funds? What kind of deal are you two making? This is sneaky, you can be sued for this.”
Ji Ling shrugged and said, “I’ve noticed something about the vice chairman. He’s particularly skilled at framing people, one accusation after another, and he never repeats his tricks.”
Ji Ling smiled, calm and collected, and continued, “Didn’t you know that your chairman personally invested in my company? Oh, but I suppose even if you did know, you wouldn’t be clear on the details.”
He kept his legs crossed, and though he was an outsider, he never stood up in front of Yan Yili throughout the entire conversation.
Ji Ling continued, “To avoid the situation you mentioned, when my company invested in Yan Corporation, we underwent a restructuring and liquidation process. Your chairman successfully exited the company and received his returns.”
At one point, Yan Yixuan had forcefully entered Ji Ling’s company as an investor, not expecting to receive a return from Ji Ling today.
Ji Ling had to buy back Yan Yixuan’s shares himself, and while Yan Yili didn’t know how Ji Ling had the funds to bridge that gap, he suddenly realized that Ji Ling’s company had another shareholder: the Luo family.
Yan Yili couldn’t help but scrutinize Ji Ling, blurting out, “Who exactly are you?”
The first time Yan Yili met Ji Ling was at a horse race, and he thought Ji Ling was just a frail lover of Yan Yixuan. But now, this person had changed so much. Why did both Yan Yixuan and the two young masters of the Luo family trust him so much?
Ji Ling still smiled, saying, “Why are you suddenly confused, Vice Chairman? I’m just me.”
Yan Yixuan finally spoke, bringing the conversation back on track. He said to Yan Yili, “The company really should thank you. Once your impeachment notice came out, the stock price immediately dropped.”
His tone was filled with sarcasm. Yan Yili had always accused Yan Yixuan of disregarding the company’s interests, but it was actually Yan Yili who was destabilizing the company.
Which shareholder would want the company’s stock price to fall?
Yan Yixuan continued, “If the stock price hadn’t dropped a bit, I wouldn’t have been able to buy so much.”
Yan Yili suddenly realized that Yan Yixuan’s passive subscription to the new stock issuance wasn’t because he lacked funds, but because he was betting everything on the final move.
Yan Yixuan wanted Yan Yili to take the initiative and declare war.
In reality, it was Yan Yili who was about to be eliminated.
Yan Yixuan said, “I plan to add a proposal at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting to revoke your position as vice chairman.”
Yan Yixuan locked eyes with Yan Yili and said, “When the time comes, just like you said, it will be a matter of who lives and who dies. Everyone will rely on their own abilities.”
The emergency shareholders’ meeting of Yan Corporation went ahead as scheduled. Ji Ling, of course, couldn’t attend. He couldn’t say he wasn’t anxious, but in situations like this, being impatient wouldn’t help.
While waiting, he found himself unable to focus on anything, so he decided to chat with Luo Tao to pass the time.
Luo Tao couldn’t help but tease Ji Ling when he saw him fidgeting nervously. “You’re acting like a man outside the delivery room, so anxious.”
Ji Ling gave him a glare. What kind of comparison was that? Not wanting to talk about it, he changed the subject. “Thanks to you and your brother for helping me get that bridge loan.”
Luo Tao shook his head, saying, “It’s nothing. I’ve made a good amount of money from you, and there’s still the interest. My older brother said that if friends and their partners are in trouble, we should help however we can.”
Ji Ling shot him a look. “How do you know it’s a partner? What if it’s a wife?”
Luo Tao stared at him blankly for a moment before looking at Ji Ling with an amused expression. “Oh? So it’s a wife? I see, Brother Ji, didn’t know you had such a bold side.”
Ji Ling didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at Luo Tao’s nonsense, but at least it helped pass the time. If Ji Ling had to wait around alone for the results, he might’ve gone mad.
Eventually, the results of the shareholders’ meeting came out—and they were… a letdown.
Both motions to remove board members failed. Yan Yixuan remained as chairman, and Yan Yili remained as vice chairman.
It was almost absurd.
But both brothers knew the real outcome of this battle. Yan Yixuan’s support votes made up 70%, while the votes against removing Yan Yili just barely passed the halfway mark, allowing him to keep his position.
Such a result would leave both sides dissatisfied.
However, what no one knew was that the CEO of Yan Corporation quietly spoke to Yan Yili at the meeting venue.
“Vice Chairman, our management team is satisfied with the current situation of the company. We hope there will be no more conflict.”
Yan Yili stared at the decision results, deep in thought.
Meanwhile, Ji Ling was waiting for Yan Yixuan’s return at Jin Garden.
When Yan Yixuan came back late, he looked exhausted. He glanced at Ji Ling and said, “I didn’t have time to call you.”
Ji Ling nodded, understanding. “The resolution came out—I saw it.”
Yan Yixuan sat down beside him and said, “Neither of us won.”
Ji Ling tried to comfort him. “But you did win.”
Yan Yixuan shook his head. “Actually, we both lost. For a company, a prolonged internal conflict can drain it. This time, the company has been seriously weakened. It could take a long time to recover.”
The outcome was still the same.
Yan Yixuan sighed. “After getting the results today, when I walked out, I really feared coming back.”
“Hm?” Ji Ling asked in confusion.
Yan Yixuan turned to him and said, “I was afraid that when I came back, I would be alone. Thankfully, you were here waiting for me.”
Ji Ling smiled, gently squeezed his hand, and said, “Whenever you need me, I’ll be here.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
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