The Art of Teasing - Chapter 164

Chapter 164

Director Zhao said, "Was that your accomplishment? That was all Vice Chairman Xu's performance. You haven't been to the group company for four months. Meetings you should have chaired were all convened by Vice Chairman Xu. An emergency board meeting was called on short notice, we phoned you, and you were in the capital keeping a beauty company, authorizing Vice Chairman Xu with full proxy. We aren't slandering you, are we?" He then said to Vice Chairman Xu, "Vice Chairman Xu, though you don't take issue with it, we can see who does the work and who doesn't."

Seeing the few of them eagerly trying to push him forward to oppose Ye Ling, Vice Chairman Xu was so furious his teeth ached. He turned on them directly. "Director Zhao, I'd say if your eyesight is poor, just be deaf. Sitting here collecting dividends is perfectly fine." He continued, "Yes, I signed that previous deal, but that deal originally belonged to CEO Ye. Chairman Ye had an urgent matter arise at the last moment and I was substituted in to take over. When I took over, only the negotiation of details remained."

Director Zhao let out an "Oh!" and said, "I haven't had the chance to ask, Chairman Ye, what heaven-shaking urgent matter could make you yield such a massive project?"

Ye Ling said, "Zhengyu's maternal grandfather passed away."

Director Zhao said, "Oh, so it was for a soulmate again. Chairman Ye, at this rate, will you change the group's surname for a soulmate one day?"

Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang exchanged a glance. Too lazy to bother with those few any further, they spoke directly to Ye Ling.

Vice Chairman Xu said, "Chairman Ye, the three of us, with eighty-four percent of the shares, vote for you to continue serving as chairman. Please continue the meeting."

The few shareholders had not expected that even after they had set the stage and offended Ye Ling, Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang truly wouldn't take the bait. They couldn't help but grow anxious. In their calculations, Ye Ling had not come to the company for a long time, had offended someone, and was under investigation. She had been sidelined by Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang. They would take advantage of the shareholders' meeting to force her to step down, then pressure her to sell her shares, allowing them to increase their holdings and earn more money. Yet they hadn't anticipated that these two, for some inexplicable reason, wouldn't eat the fat meat delivered to their mouths. If they didn't oust Ye Ling today, there would be no good outcomes for them later.

Ye Ling swept her gaze over the four who were still unwilling to let the matter rest, and asked Wen Zhengyu in a low voice, "Do you see clearly now?"

Wen Zhengyu answered honestly, "No." She didn't understand. Everyone was making money here. Even if Ye Ling stepped down, none of them would become chairman. Why were they stirring up this trouble? Did they think Ye Ling had a side deal and wasn't sharing with them? Even if Ye Ling was doing other projects, she hadn't asked them for investment, nor had she required their effort. There was no reason to share with them.

Ye Ling told Wen Zhengyu, "Someone is investigating me. They're worried that trouble on my end will implicate them, so they're in a rush to push me out. Also, if I'm pushed out, the shares I hold... as shareholders, they have the right of first refusal. Given the group's current profitability, it's a money-printing business that earns a fortune daily."

Her words made the faces of the several shareholders very uncomfortable.

Director Jin said, "Chairman Ye, we are protecting our own interests. Why must you speak so unpleasantly?"

Ye Ling leisurely propped her chin on her hand, looked at the four of them, and said, "The truth is always unpleasant to hear. Afraid of being implicated? Sell your shares. I'll offer a very high price."

Director Jin said, "Don't even think about making us sell our shares. Ye Ling, if you know what's good for you, withdraw your capital and leave, and spare everyone the trouble."

Ye Ling sighed inwardly. Who told her she hadn't had enough money back then and had left behind these troubles? She scoffed and asked, "I withdraw my capital. Can you swallow it?"

Director Jin said, "If you dare to withdraw, I dare to take it!"

Ye Ling's eyes lit up. Smiling warmly, she asked, "Really?" She said, "Fine then, Director Jin. An exemplary person's word, once spoken, cannot be overtaken by a team of four horses. I'll dump all forty-two percent of the shares I hold. Director Jin, if you can handle this, we'll consider today's matter settled. If you can't handle it, then I'll have to apologize." She then looked at the other three and said, "Don't let it be said that I'm bullying anyone. You three can join together." Having finished speaking, she opened her laptop, pulled up the financial calculation page, and rapidly computed the funds they would need to pay if she withdrew her capital. She pushed the laptop before them and said, "This is the figure. You have three days to produce it! If you produce it, I'll take the money and leave immediately! If you can't produce it, in three days, you take the money and leave."

Director Jin slammed the table and yelled, "Three days! Are you insane! Who has that much cash on hand!"

Ye Ling sneered. "Without that big a stomach, why open your mouth so wide! Did you think this was street thugs brawling, where more people means you're right? I'm giving you only three days."

Director Jin's eyes darted. He grinned and said, "No need to wait three days. Let's do it now. Chairman Ye, if you can produce the money right now, I'll immediately sell to you."

Director Zhao knew Ye Ling still had some liquid capital and was worried she might be able to take Director Jin's shares. He therefore said, "Right. If you can produce the money, both Director Jin and I will sell our shares to you. Right now!"

The other two shareholders echoed in agreement.

Wen Zhengyu was dumbfounded. This was sheer rascality.

Director Yu sneered. "Chairman Ye, don't tell us you can't produce the money." They had just checked the liquid funds under Ye Ling's name. Even if she tried to scrape money together on short notice, she couldn't possibly gather enough in such haste to buy sixteen percent of the shares.

Ye Ling said, "I truly don't have that much money."

The four shareholders were first stunned that Ye Ling would be so brazen. Their initial instinct was that Ye Ling was laying a trap, but then they thought it was normal for her not to produce so much money all at once.

Director Jin sneered, "Chairman Ye, without that big a stomach, why open your mouth so wide!"

Ye Ling, looking rather embarrassed, propped her chin on her hand, turned her head to Wen Zhengyu, and said, "Lend me a little money."

Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang were speechless together. Sixteen percent of the shares—how was that "a little money"!

Wen Zhengyu stared blankly at Ye Ling in a daze and asked, "Is it enough?"

Ye Ling said, "Your year-end dividend is all in your card, not a cent touched. The money in your card plus the liquid capital I have on hand, and Wen Li and Lian Xin just had a large inflow of funds. Their new projects haven't launched yet, so they have ample funds now. Let them provide emergency help. I'll pay interest at private lending rates. It's just... I'll need your guarantee."

Wen Zhengyu asked, "How much?"

Ye Ling quoted a figure to Wen Zhengyu.

Wen Zhengyu said "Oh," and immediately called Lian Xin to borrow money, even adding, "Don't tell Grandmother."

Lian Xin yelled, "What!" and shouted, "Let Ye Ling take the phone."

Ye Ling briefly explained the situation in a few words and said, "It's not a free loan. I'll pledge the shares to her. Her taking that money out to earn some interest is better than letting it sit in the bank."

Lian Xin hesitated for a few seconds and said, "Wait for me to get there."

Ye Ling responded, "Fine." She hung up and returned the phone to Wen Zhengyu.

Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang glanced at each other subtly and shook their heads to themselves. These four guys, clinging to their shares, only took money without doing work and were constantly chirping complaints. Riding the tailwind, as soon as they had earned a little, they no longer knew their place.

Wen Zhengyu stared blankly at Ye Ling, her mind struggling to process it. This seemed like shares of a major group... a share transfer? Sixteen percent of the shares—that was a massive acquisition project, wasn't it? Just... argued out... in a quarrel like this?

She looked at Ye Ling, then at the shareholders who were studying her appraisingly, completely bewildered.

Director Jin's gaze swept up and down Wen Zhengyu. He asked Ye Ling, "Chairman Ye, can the funds actually arrive? Don't keep everyone waiting for nothing."

Vice Chairman Xu rose to refill his own tea and even refilled Wen Zhengyu's cup. Pity he and Old Zhang could only sit here and watch the show!

Ye Ling said, "We must at least wait for the funds to be in place. Be patient and wait a moment; the money is already on its way. But speaking of which, waiting idly is indeed boring. It happens that all shareholders are present today, making it convenient to sign share transfer agreements and such. How about we start drafting the documents first?"

The several directors exchanged glances. Director Jin said, "No rush. We'll consider it once Chairman Ye's funds are in place."

Ye Ling sneered. "Consider it?"

Director Jin said, "Until the funds are in place, we won't consider it at all."

Wen Zhengyu stared at Director Jin, stunned. She had finally met someone who could outdo Ye Ling in shamelessness. Ye Ling was thick-skinned; this person was utterly without face.

Director Zhao's gaze swept back and forth over Wen Zhengyu and then passed over Vice Chairman Xu and General Manager Zhang. Their attitudes were very wrong. His heart stirred, and he said, "Forget it, forget it. We're all partners here. Harmony is paramount, harmony is paramount. Let's just consider this matter dropped."

Wen Zhengyu: "..."

Director Zhao said to drop it. The other directors, seeing this, looked at Director Zhao one after another. Director Zhao signaled with his eyes for them to pay attention to those two. Logically, if Ye Ling stepped down, Vice President Xu and General Manager Zhang stood to gain even greater benefits, yet they weren't moving. Moreover, these two had more assets than them, wider connections, and greater capability. The stage was set, yet they refused to step on her. There was clearly something here they didn't know.

Director Jin and the others received Director Zhao's eye signal and thus, one after another, changed their tune, saying they weren't selling after all and to continue the shareholders' meeting. Their shares were few. Since the three major shareholders unanimously decided that Ye Ling would continue as chairman, then let Ye Ling continue.

In over twenty years of life, Wen Zhengyu had never seen anyone more shameless than these few people.

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