"General Manager He?"
Gu Xingchen patted his arm lightly: "Siyu? What are you thinking about?"
He Siyu finally snapped out of his daze, his fingers curling slightly before resting on the edge of the table, his dark eyes fixed on the small seal stamped on the painting.
"This painting—I'll take it."
-
Nan Residence.
Tonight was a family dinner. Almost everyone was present, except for the youngest uncle, who was still pursuing his Ph.D. in Germany. Both Nan Wenyue and Nan Zhenxing's families had returned.
The old patriarch was in high spirits. "The company has secured another major contract. Zhenming personally handled the negotiations, and Haoyong Group directly guaranteed our bid. Over the past six months, the company has been thriving."
Nan Wenyue and Nan Zhenxing were stunned. Their eldest brother, who had always been seen as incompetent, had somehow turned things around and pulled off such a feat.
Had Nan Sangning pushed him to this?
Nan Zhenming smiled. "The company suffered significant losses for the Xinghong deal. I was genuinely worried, so I wanted to ease Father's burden."
Riding on the Pei family's influence had made things effortless. With just one call from Pei Songhan, the CEO of Haoyong Group had personally welcomed him with open arms.
Not only had they secured the contract for Nan Group, but Nan Zhenming had also received substantial under-the-table benefits.
After losing half his shares to Nan Sangning, Nan Zhenming had suffered heavy losses. Now, he had managed to recoup some of them, and he felt immensely satisfied.
The old man nodded approvingly. "Good, very good."
Nan Siya looked at Nan Zhenming eagerly. "I heard General Manager Wang of Haoyong personally approved this deal. It just shows how extensive Father's connections are. Congratulations, Father."
Nan Zhenming basked in the praise, his gaze softening as he looked at Nan Siya.
Nan Wenyue deliberately glanced at Sangning with a mocking tone. "If you ask me, precision manufacturing should remain in the hands of the eldest brother. Youngsters might be passionate, but they don’t understand the intricacies of the business world."
Truthfully, it made no difference to Nan Wenyue whether Nan Sangning or Nan Zhenming held power—neither benefited her, nor did it impose any restrictions.
She simply didn’t want Nan Sangning to have it easy!
Nan Zhenxing chimed in, "Sangning is still young. She could use more experience."
As he spoke, he cast a wary glance at Nan Sangning.
For some reason, this girl always left him feeling uneasy. He still hadn’t figured her out.
With Nan Sangning in charge, he couldn’t rest easy. Nan Zhenming, that fool, was much easier to manipulate.
Nan Siya also harbored her own expectations. Ever since Nan Sangning took control of the company, she had grown increasingly dismissive of her!
The Nan family was her birth family, after all. Even after marrying into the Chen Family, she needed their backing in case of trouble.
How could she tolerate the idea of begging Nan Sangning for favors in the future?
The old man studied Sangning carefully.
Sangning smiled faintly. "Father has decades of experience in the business world. Building such rapport with General Manager Wang is something I still need to work toward."
Nan Wenyue was surprised. How could Nan Sangning remain so composed?
Nan Zhenming watched eagerly, hoping the old man would finally return control of precision manufacturing to him.
But the old man only chuckled. "Sangning does need more experience. You’re young—learn from your elders."
He showed no intention of stripping Nan Sangning of her authority.
Sangning nodded slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Grandfather."
Nan Zhenming’s expression stiffened, his frustration boiling beneath the surface.
Had Father lost his mind? How could he favor this girl so blatantly!
But he didn’t dare show his displeasure to the old man, nor did he dare confront Nan Sangning directly. He could only force a smile and let it go.
"Father…" Nan Wenyue, unwilling to let Nan Sangning off so easily, tried to speak again.
The old man shot her a sharp glare.
"That’s enough. I know what I’m doing. I don’t need any of you dictating to me."
"Yes…"
"Today is supposed to be a reunion. Let’s leave company matters aside. A family dinner shouldn’t feel like a board meeting."
Suddenly, the old man remembered something. "Siya and Chen Zheng’s wedding is coming up soon. How are the preparations?"
The wedding was set for mid-January—just two weeks away.
Nan Siya lowered her head shyly, while Wen Meiling quickly replied, "Everything is going smoothly. I’ve been overseeing it personally. Don’t worry, Father."
"Good," the old man nodded in satisfaction. "With the Nan family thriving, I can finally rest easy."
The reunion dinner passed harmoniously.
After the meal, Nan Wenyue and Nan Zhenxing’s families left one after another.
As usual, Sangning saw them off.
Just outside the Nan residence’s gates, Nan Wenyue suddenly smirked at her.
"Don’t think just because the old man shielded you this time, he’ll do it again. I know him better than you do. He doesn’t truly value you—you’re just a convenient tool. Do you really believe he’s grooming you as his successor?"
Sangning smiled faintly. "Thank you for the advice, Aunt."
Nan Wenyue had hoped to see fear or unease in Nan Sangning’s eyes, but it was like punching cotton—frustrating and utterly ineffective!
With a venomous glare, Nan Wenyue hissed, "You’ve even dared to cross your own father. The Nan family will never tolerate you. I’ll be waiting for the day you’re thrown out!"
Then she yanked open her car door and stormed off.
Sangning stood still, watching the car disappear into the distance, the smile on her lips growing colder.
Now that she and Nan Zhenming were openly and covertly at odds, the old man might not be displeased.
After all, no matter who won, the fruits of victory would ultimately belong to Nan Group. Securing three major contracts in six months was proof enough.
The old man might not truly see her as his heir, but as long as she remained useful, he wouldn’t discard her.
In this situation, the old man sat comfortably, reaping the benefits. Naturally, he wouldn’t disrupt the balance.
But he had miscalculated—she was no puppet to be manipulated.
Since no one in the Nan family truly cared for her, they would have to submit to her.
-
The next day, Sangning arrived at work at nine as usual.
With the major contract under his belt, Nan Zhenming carried himself with newfound confidence. He no longer bothered hiding his disdain for Nan Sangning, as if certain she wouldn’t dare retaliate.
Sangning didn’t rise to the provocation. Instead, she remained composed, displaying an uncharacteristic patience.
To outsiders, this seemed normal—after all, the young General Manager Nan was known for her even temper. But Nan Zhenming found it unsettling.
He had witnessed this girl’s ruthlessness firsthand. She was nothing like his daughter!
A nagging unease settled in his chest, yet he couldn’t pinpoint anything wrong.
"General Manager Nan, Manager Lin is here."
"Let him in."
Lin Yuan hurried in, handing her a file. "I’ve finished investigating the matter you assigned me."
Sangning took the file, flipping through it before raising a brow. "Well done."
"They didn’t expect me to dig into this. Since you’ve always been lenient with the staff, they let their guard down. With the right permissions, it wasn’t hard to trace everything."
Lin Yuan paused. "How do you plan to handle this, General Manager Nan?"
Nan Sangning resealed the document folder, a faint smile curling her lips. "I have my own plans."
The New Year was approaching—a time to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. A good omen.
Nan Sangning had worked late again today. She wouldn’t feel at ease until the office was thoroughly cleaned.
At eight in the evening, she stepped out of the company building into the night.
As she walked, she dialed Uncle Zhang’s number. "Hello, Uncle Zhang, could you come pick me—"
Before she could finish, a black Bentley pulled up abruptly in front of her.
She froze.
The window rolled down, revealing He Siyu inside. His striking profile was half-shrouded in the flickering shadows, his expression unreadable.
She ended the call first, then greeted him politely. "General Manager He, is there something you need?"
He turned, his dark eyes sweeping over her. "Get in."