Only one seat remained, tucked away in the most remote corner of the conference room.
Song Xinya: “Is this where I’m supposed to sit?”
Song Xuanli sat in the very center. “Unless you want my seat?”
Song Xinya: “Sure.”
Song Xuanli: “…”
He gave a cold snort. “What nonsense.”
Song Xinya: “You’re the one talking about yourself.”
Song Xuanli: “You…”
Song Xinya: “I’m absolutely right. This company was founded by my mother. As her biological daughter, I naturally have the right to inherit it. That’s a right granted to me by the Civil Code. If you want to take away my rights, go argue with the people who wrote the law.”
Song Xuanli knew he was in the wrong and flew into a rage out of embarrassment. “If you don’t want to attend the meeting, then get out.”
Song Xinya picked up a chair with a bang and placed it heavily beside Song Xuanli. Then she plopped herself down and looked arrogantly at the meeting host.
“Start.”
Meeting Host: “Today’s meeting is focused on discussing how to increase the company’s performance by ten percent. Next…”
Wait, something was wrong. He was Song Xuanli’s employee, so why was he listening to Song Xinya?!
The meeting host stood there speechless, his face full of confusion.
Song Xinya put on the air of a company boss. “Why did you stop? Hurry up and continue.”
The meeting host glanced at Song Xuanli with his beady eyes.
Knowing that Song Xinya’s personality was as sharp as a needle facing a wheat awn, Song Xuanli knew that if he said anything, she would immediately start arguing with him again. So he pressed his lips together and remained silent.
The meeting host continued.
From that point on, Song Xinya controlled the pace of the entire meeting by herself, giving precise comments on every person who spoke.
Zhang Yingying and Li Cuirou had called Song Xinya over hoping to make her embarrass herself. Instead, Song Xinya looked even more like the boss of the company than they did.
By the time the meeting ended, Song Xinya already had a clear understanding of Yating Company’s overall situation.
Having accomplished her purpose, she stood up and headed outside.
Zhang Yingying called after her. “You’ve heard our strategy for the company’s next stage. What do you think?”
Song Xinya: “I’ll watch you walk step by step into the abyss of decline—and I have no intention of pulling you out.”
Zhang Yingying: “Our plan is to shift our customer base from ordinary people to wealthy elites and focus exclusively on the high-end market. That’s the direction the Qin Group has always taken. How could we possibly decline? We’re about to rise to the top.”
Song Xinya let out a mocking laugh.
The high-end education market had always been firmly controlled by the Qin Group. Compared with Song Xuanli, Li Cuirou, and Zhang Yingying, those wealthy clients would obviously trust the Qin family, one of the city’s top elite families, more.
Where did Song Xuanli, Li Cuirou, and Zhang Yingying get the confidence to think they could steal clients from the Qin Group?
Such a brainless idea could only have come from Li Cuirou and Zhang Yingying.
The two of them wanted to use tutoring wealthy children as an excuse to get close to the rich and expand their own social networks.
But connections were not about how many people you knew. They were about how many people acknowledged you. They were not about how many people you interacted with, but how many people were willing to approach you of their own accord.
Useful connections came from personal ability. Only exchanges between equals could create friendships between equals.
Song Xinya would never offer advice or point the way for her enemies. With that free time, she might as well enjoy a cup of tea.
Zhang Yingying: “Song Xinya, my mother and I have been running this company for many years. It’s practically our child. We won’t allow you to take it away. You should give up now.”
Song Xinya: “What kind of bizarre species are you and your mother? You somehow managed to give birth to the same child. Which one of you is the male and which one is the female?”
Zhang Yingying froze for a moment, her face turning bright red. “I was only speaking metaphorically. You should understand what I mean.”
Song Xinya: “I understand that you’re ignorant and empty-headed, so empty of learning that you can’t even express yourself properly. You’re completely uneducated.”
Zhang Yingying: “In any case, I won’t let you take this company away. Both my father and mother support me.”
Song Xinya: “Whether you can hold on to it depends on your ability. Whether I can take it away depends on mine. Anyone can shout slogans. If yelling alone were enough to win, donkeys would rule the world. And you, Zhang Yingying, aren’t even as capable as a donkey.”
Song Xinya put on her sunglasses and turned to leave.
………
Qin Group, thirty-eighth floor. The president’s office.
Qin Yuhe: “Is the part of the resort project in Magic City that Song Xuanli is responsible for almost ready for delivery?”
Assistant: “Yes. It’s scheduled for acceptance inspection soon.”
Qin Yuhe: “Make arrangements with the government officials responsible for the inspection. Have them inspect Song Xuanli’s project as soon as possible.”
The assistant had worked beside Qin Yuhe for many years and immediately understood what he meant.
“It’s almost New Year’s. There are still some ‘dumplings’ left in the warehouse. I’ll deliver them to the officials.”
That evening, the government officials responsible for the inspection received the “dumplings.”
They were made of pure gold, gleaming brightly.
One after another, they filled an entire briefcase.
Before long, Song Xuanli received the inspection notice.
He was thrilled. “It’s finally going to be inspected. Once it passes, we can put it into operation and start making money.”
Li Cuirou was delighted as well. For the sake of this project, she had sold all the jewelry her mother had left her and invested the money into it. She had been waiting to ride on the Qin family’s coattails and make a fortune.
“The sooner it passes inspection, the better. Then we can start earning money sooner and enjoy ourselves sooner.”
Zhang Yingying: “I’m counting on this project to recover my losses. I’ve got my eye on a limited-edition luxury coat, but I haven’t been willing to buy it.”
The three of them were ecstatic. They followed the inspection team around, serving them diligently, bringing them tea and water, and asking after their every need. They were enthusiastically attentive.
The inspection results came back very quickly—
Rejected.
The three of them were devastated.
Song Xuanli called Qin Yuhe.
“President Qin, our project failed the inspection!”
Qin Yuhe sounded surprised. “Oh—is that so?”
Song Xuanli: “Yes!”
Qin Yuhe: “You have my deepest sympathy. My condolences.”
Song Xuanli said anxiously, “President Qin, there’s no need for condolences. I don’t think my project is completely dead yet. You can still save us.”
Qin Yuhe: “I’m not the kind of person who stands by and watches someone die. I’ll call the inspection officials and ask them what happened.”
Song Xuanli repeatedly thanked him. “Thank you, President Qin. Thank you so much, President Qin.”
Qin Yuhe hung up and lowered his head to continue working on his documents.
Ten minutes later, he called Song Xuanli back.
“I asked them for you. They said the higher-ups have been keeping a close eye on things lately and are conducting a strict investigation into all noncompliant projects. They won’t make an exception for anyone. You see, it’s not that I didn’t help you. I did ask them.”
Song Xuanli: “If that’s the case, then we’ll have to redo the project. We’ll need to invest another huge sum of money.”
Qin Yuhe replied lightly, “There’s nothing you can do about that.”
Over the next half month, whenever Song Xinya went to Yating Company for meetings, she found Song Xuanli, Li Cuirou, and Zhang Yingying wearing gloomy expressions. They were too miserable even to bother targeting her.
Seeing how miserable they were only improved Song Xinya’s mood.
Ever since she began preparing for pregnancy, Song Xinya had tested herself every day to track her ovulation cycle.
That day, she detected that her ovulation period was approaching.
The easiest time to get pregnant isn’t the day of ovulation itself, but the one to two days before it.
Because—
An egg has a short lifespan: after being released, it remains capable of fertilization for only 12 to 24 hours.
Sperm need time to make the journey: after intercourse, it takes time for them to reach the fallopian tubes. If intercourse takes place only after ovulation, it’s easy to miss the egg.
Today was exactly two days before Song Xinya’s expected ovulation.
She rushed out of the office and headed for the exit.
“President Song, why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?” Chen Siyan asked.
“To find President Qin.”
Seeing how hurried she was, Chen Siyan knew it had to be something important. “I’ll go with you.”
“No need. You can’t help with this.”
“Tell me what it is. Maybe I can help.”
“If you could help, everything would be a mess.”
Chen Siyan was completely baffled.
It was no wonder he couldn’t figure out what was going on. It was broad daylight, a workday, and they were in the company.
Song Xinya arrived on the thirty-eighth floor and pushed open the door to Qin Yuhe’s office.
Qin Yuhe was just walking out, preparing to attend a board meeting. He was slightly surprised to see her.
Song Xinya had never come to his office uninvited during working hours.
Seeing the urgency on her face, Qin Yuhe asked, “Did something happen?”
Song Xinya’s slender fingers caught hold of his tie. Her soft, alluring body pressed against him, and her serpentine waist brushed lightly against his lower abdomen.
“Now is the best time for me to get pregnant…”
Qin Yuhe stared at her. “Now?”
Song Xinya rose onto her toes, the thin heel of her red high-heeled shoe suspended in midair. She slowly exhaled against his lips.
“We’ve never done this in your office before. Don’t you think it would be exciting?”
