“Oh? I haven’t even gone looking for him yet, and he’s already come knocking again.”
The last time Sun Guoping came to make a scene over the shares, Qiuyun happened to be away. He had barged in and caused a commotion for over an hour before security finally escorted him out.
And now he was back.
Sun Guoping was an insider in the industry. When he learned that DreamProbe’s ownership had changed hands—and that even Ruan Siheng, President Ruan, had sold off his shares—then heard that Mayor Pei had recently grounded his son and forbidden him from even leaving the house, he put two and two together.
DreamProbe was bound to take a massive loss!
When he had joined DreamProbe, he had received dividend shares as one of the founding members, so he had barely drawn a salary. Later, when the company ran short of funds, they hadn’t even paid him a basic wage.
But with things as they were now, those shares were sure to become worthless in his hands. He had to fight for what he was owed for his work. No matter what, he was going to get that money back!
Qiuyun invited him into the office, intending to deal with him personally.
The office door opened, and someone walked in.
“Why is it you?” Seeing that it was only a young girl, Sun Guoping straightened his suit and plopped down on the sofa. “Where’s that brat Jiang Linzhi?”
Qiuyun glanced over his murky, bloodshot eyes, his dry lips, and the sweat stains peeking out from beneath his collar despite it being December. Her brows lifted slightly, and her expression immediately became two parts awkward. “President Jiang? President Jiang should be busy somewhere, I suppose?”
Sun Guoping let out a disdainful laugh.
Busy?
He was probably hiding because he was afraid Sun Guoping would come demanding his money.
“Fine, busy. Then I’ll wait here!”
Qiuyun hurriedly had someone bring in tea, then sat down stiffly across from him. Uneasily, she asked, “What brings you to the company, President Sun? Is there something that wasn’t properly handed over from your previous work?”
The last time he had seen her, she hadn’t said a word when he got into an argument with Pei. Afterward, thanks to Pei Cizhou’s absolute control over the company, no current employee had leaked any internal information to someone who had already been fired. As a result, Sun Guoping’s impression of Qiuyun could be summed up in two words: beautiful.
So when Daniel came in to serve tea and heard the usually calm, decisive Chief Artist Qiu putting on the act of a timid little white rabbit, he nearly dropped his cup!
Couldn’t she at least have given him a moment’s warning?
Sun Guoping glanced at the girl in front of him. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to make conversation. “Say, little miss, do you know anything about your Young Mr. Pei?”
Qiuyun nervously picked at her fingers and lowered her head, giving a soft “Mm.”
“Tsk, don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m trying to put a damper on things.” He picked up his teacup and took a sip. “You’re both still young, but with his family situation, he certainly isn’t going to casually marry just any woman. Why waste your youth on a man who can’t give you a future?”
The middle-aged man had activated his always-on teacher mode.
Qiuyun shook her head firmly. “No. He said the two of us definitely have a future!”
Sun Guoping sneered. “And you believe what men say? Why don’t you call him now and ask him to come keep you company? Can he do that?”
Qiuyun fell silent again.
“Besides, he’s still just a rich second-generation heir spending his family’s money. How much can he actually give you?” Sun Guoping swept his eyes over her beautiful, striking face and chuckled. “If you’re really looking to move up in the world, tsk, you should aim higher. Your uncle knows plenty of wealthy businessmen. Want me to introduce you to a few?”
Qiuyun refused him point-blank, her expression indignant. “President Sun, I like him not because of his status, and not because he buys me bags, gold bracelets, or luxury goods. I simply like him for who he is!”
Sun Guoping was speechless.
After all, that little bastard Pei really was a handsome, pretty-boy type.
But…
Bags, gold bracelets, luxury goods?
“I didn’t realize Pei treated you so well.” Sun Guoping began fishing for information. “How much does he spend on you each month? Two hundred thousand yuan?”
Qiuyun turned her head slightly away, a hint of reserve in her expression. “You don’t need to ask about that.”
Oh, really?
Sun Guoping was furious.
That brat was willing to spend money on his mistress, but not willing to compensate him!
Fine. Then he couldn’t be blamed for playing dirty.
“Heh. Little miss, weren’t you just asking what brought me here today?” Sun Guoping leaned back against the sofa.
“What is it?” Qiuyun checked the time on her phone. “Don’t worry. President Jiang should be here soon.”
He was coming soon?
Sun Guoping quickly got to the point and tested the waters. “Last time, Pei sent an assistant—the foreign guy whose name I can barely remember—to buy the shares I hold. He said something about not leaving the shares in an outsider’s hands. But DreamProbe is something I watched grow from the ground up, little by little. Sure, I’ve fallen out with those two kids, but no matter what, I want to keep my stake in the company. So when he offered me eight million, I didn’t sell.”
Qiuyun frowned. “President Sun, you don’t work for the company anymore. At most, you can collect dividends by keeping those shares. What use are they to you?”
Sun Guoping was now certain that this little girl knew nothing about the company’s real situation. After all, unless its business problems could no longer be concealed, there was no way the company would let any employee or manager know about them.
“I was angry at the time and didn’t want to deal with him.” He changed tack. “Hey, little miss, how about I do you a personal favor?”
“What kind of favor?”
“I won’t hide it from you. Let’s be practical. I’ve been having some trouble with my cash flow recently, and after all this time, I’ve decided that holding a grudge against Young Mr. Pei isn’t worth it. So I’ve come here to return the shares to him.”
Qiuyun was surprised. “You’re willing to give them back?”
“Of course, not for free! I still expect a transfer fee.” Sun Guoping took a transfer agreement for the dividend shares out of his briefcase. “I have plenty of things to deal with and don’t want to make another trip here—it’s a hassle. So this is what we’ll do: once we sign the share-transfer agreement, you can take care of the subsequent individual income tax and stamp-duty filings, as well as registering the change of shareholders with the municipal regulatory bureau. In return, I’ll lower the price a little.”
Qiuyun brightened. “All right. I’ll call President Jiang right away!”
“Hey, hey, hey!” Sun Guoping stopped her, putting on a concerned expression. “I say you’re foolish, and you really are. Think about it. President Pei isn’t here right now. If you manage to accomplish something no one else could, won’t that make you look even more capable?”
“Ah? Aren’t we just getting it done?”
Considering how deeply this girl was infatuated with Pei Cizhou, Sun Guoping changed his approach. “Your uncle has been around the block. Love and romance are all illusions. A woman’s youth is limited, so you have to hold on to something tangible or you’ll be the one losing out. Think about it: what if you and Pei Cizhou break up someday? If you’re still one of his company’s original shareholders, you’ll still have dealings with each other. He’ll never be able to shake you off completely!”
Qiuyun was stunned. “How could that be? I…”
“You know who his father is, don’t you?” Sun Guoping asked.
Qiuyun hesitated, then nodded.
“Exactly. Think about his family background. If you two really make it as far as meeting the parents someday, wouldn’t the words ‘business partner’ sound better—and carry more weight—than ‘girlfriend’?”
