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After putting the drink into her bag, Yu Qing took it out again after a moment to glance at the phrase “Love at First Sight.”
Beside her, Qiao Yang sat uneasily, as if on pins and needles.
Qiao Yang hadn’t expected Yu Qing to pull the rug out from under them.
She knew that New Tech was invested in by Fu Jichen—her uncle had told her so.
But her cousin, Qiao Han, didn’t want to admit it. He only wanted to treat Fu Jichen’s investment as a loan, repay it, and be done with it. As far as he was concerned, New Tech had nothing to do with Fu Jichen.
Because of this, her uncle had argued with her cousin, but he couldn’t sway him.
She knew everything.
But she could only pretend not to know anything.
Otherwise, she would be caught in the middle and face difficulty.
Yu Qing’s phone vibrated, and a message came in. It was from Qin Yu, and they started chatting happily. She did this to give Qiao Yang time to “pass on the message.”
Qiao Yang glanced at Yu Qing, who was focused on replying to the messages, probably from Fu Jichen. For now, she had no intention of dealing with these matters.
Her inner turmoil was intense.
She didn’t deny that she hoped New Tech would always be managed by the Qiao family.
Not just her uncle’s family—all of the Qiaos worked at New Tech, including her father.
In the end, reason tipped the scales.
Qiao Yang sent a message to her uncle: [Yu Qing and the lawyers from her firm are on their way to New Tech, saying they’re going to sign an undisclosed investment contract for Fu Jichen.]
She read it over again; the wording was fine.
The words “saying” proved that she was unaware of the matter, avoiding giving Yu Qing any leverage.
Qiao Weiming was in the middle of a morning meeting when he saw the message, and his heart sank.
His mind went blank for two seconds.
He never expected Fu Jichen to launch a surprise attack.
He had always thought that Fu Jichen would discuss it with him beforehand out of respect.
Taking a deep breath, Qiao Weiming turned to instruct his secretary and then waved to Qiao Han, signaling him to step outside the conference room. He then addressed the other executives: “Keep discussing. I have a major client coming.”
No one paid much attention, and the meeting continued.
Back in the office, Qiao Weiming locked the door behind him.
Qiao Han frowned. “Dad, what’s wrong? What happened?”
Qiao Weiming told his son everything. “You figure out what to do.” He instinctively looked at his watch. “Yu Qing and her team might arrive in twenty or thirty minutes.”
Qiao Han crossed his arms, pressing his tongue against his teeth. “If we’re going to do it, we might as well go all the way. New Tech is mine—it’s money you borrowed from Fu Jichen. We’ll calculate the interest and pay it back later.”
Qiao Weiming sighed. “That’s illegal.”
“What law? Does he have a contract? No. The law requires evidence, not just empty words.” Qiao Han poured a glass of cold water and drank it down in a few gulps.
“We’ve worked hard for so many years. Why should we work for him?”
Qiao Weiming: “Without Fu Jichen, there wouldn’t even be New Tech. Besides, he gave us shares, full salaries, and dividends.”
Qiao Han sneered. “What do those shares amount to? Those wages and dividends are nothing!”
“Fu Jichen doesn’t fight unprepared battles. If he’s coming, he must have something on us. You’d better not be greedy, or you’ll end up with nothing.”
“Enough! Stop nagging me! Let me think! If he comes hard, I’m not someone to be trifled with. Just don’t say anything when the time comes, and don’t sign the contract. I’ll handle this today! Even if a whole team of lawyers comes, I’m not afraid!”
Qiao Weiming pressed his throbbing temple, wanting to send a message to his niece Qiao Yang, asking where they were. He drafted the message but deleted it.
The car was stuck in traffic.
About two kilometers away from New Tech.
Qin Yu was still chatting with Yu Qing: [If Qiao Weiming knows we’re coming now, he’ll definitely make sure his son is there too. With more people on their side, won’t it be disadvantageous for us?]
Yu Qing: [I want Qiao Han to be there. If we only catch Qiao Weiming alone, it’ll be harder to handle because he’s afraid his son will blame him. Worrying left and right, he’ll definitely try to delay things, calling Qiao Han back. He might even use some excuse to wait for Qiao Yang. This kind of delay can go on forever. You know, some things are most afraid of being dragged out.]
Qin Yu: [A quick battle needs psychological warfare. If not done well, all previous efforts will be wasted.]
Yu Qing: [From the moment they find out until we arrive, during this time, they’re conflicted, struggling, and fearful. Their psychological defenses are weakest, making it the best time for psychological warfare. I’m not worried about our coordination. I’ll take care of breaking their arrogance, while you handle the professional part. There’s no one we can’t conquer.]
More than twenty minutes passed.
It felt like an eternity.
Qiao Yang decided to go upstairs with them, saying she hadn’t seen her uncle in a long time and wanted to visit.
Yu Qing: “Your family’s relationship is really good. A few days apart feels like a long time. I remember you were at Teacher Qiao’s house on Saturday.”
After dismantling their position, she offered a ladder. “Such a family atmosphere is enviable. Unlike my family, I rarely see them twice a year.”
Qiao Yang could only force a laugh.
It seemed Yu Qing knew everything thoroughly.
Suddenly, she felt unsure.
Before going upstairs, Qiao Yang called Qiao Weiming.
By the time they reached the chairman’s office, Qiao Weiming had already prepared coffee for them.
Qiao Han was also there.
He crossed his legs, lounging lazily on the sofa, his face stern, seemingly impervious to persuasion.
When Yu Qing entered, he was momentarily stunned. Was she here to negotiate using a vase?
After exchanging a few perfunctory pleasantries, Qiao Weiming thought Yu Qing would get to the point.
To his surprise, she veered off-topic.
Yu Qing sat opposite Qiao Han, handing the contract to Qiao Yang. “Take a look and see if there’s anything wrong.” Then she changed the subject. “I heard that General Manager Qiao has quite a bit of knowledge about sports cars.”
Qiao Han almost missed this train of thought: “Just average.”
Yu Qing asked Qiao Han to recommend a few models, as she was thinking of changing her car.
There was always a taut string in Qiao Han’s mind, and his responses were somewhat perfunctory. However, Yu Qing took notes diligently, sometimes even double-checking details.
He ended up saying a bit more.
The contract was simple, only one and a half pages.
Standard and straightforward, with no confusing or harsh terms.
After Qiao Yang finished reading it, she held her coffee cup, overwhelmed with thoughts.
Qiao Weiming sat beside her, reading along. Fu Jichen truly trusted him—even at this moment, the contract was still favorable to him.
He exhaled deeply.
Over there, Qiao Han wanted to interrupt and say something, but Yu Qing didn’t give him a chance, asking question after question without pause.
Qin Yu coughed lightly, pretending to remind Yu Qing, “Lawyer Yu, we have another appointment at eleven.”
“Oh, just a moment. It’s rare to meet someone knowledgeable. Let me consult a bit more.”
Qiao Han scrutinized Yu Qing. How did this woman become a lawyer?
Then again, she was Yu Shaohong’s daughter, so it wasn’t surprising.
With money to burn at home, who knows where she got her diploma. She probably used connections to enter a law firm and transformed herself into a lawyer.
After drinking half a cup of coffee, Qiao Han’s patience was nearly exhausted.
“Lawyer Yu, let’s talk business.”
Yu Qing looked at Qiao Han and smiled. “General Manager Qiao, you might not know, but buying a car is currently my main business.”
Qiao Han choked.
Yu Qing sighed. “I’m wondering whether to buy four cars or just two. If I buy four, I won’t have enough parking spaces temporarily. But if I buy two, I’ll have an extra space.”
“…”
Qiao Han was about to lose it. “Why not buy three?”
Yu Qing shook her head. “I have OCD—I never buy odd numbers. Otherwise, one would be lonely.”
Qiao Han: “...” He pressed his forehead.
This woman was driving him crazy.
Yu Qing put away her notebook and turned to Qiao Yang. “You and Teacher Qiao have both reviewed it; is there any problem with the contract?”
Qiao Yang: “... No.”
Yu Qing apologized to Qiao Weiming, “Teacher Qiao, sorry for delaying you from signing the contract. Since you’ve reviewed it and found no issues, just sign and fingerprint it. There are two copies; you keep one.”
“What contract?” Qiao Han immediately frowned.
Yu Qing: “What do you think, General Manager Qiao?”
“Is Fu Group now relying on its strength to bully people? Huh?” Qiao Han shifted the blame. “Fu Jichen lent money to my father, and now that he sees New Tech has grown, he plans to renege and claim it as an investment? Why don’t you just take over the company directly?”
Yu Qing stood up, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to Qiao Han. “General Manager Qiao, calm down. Let’s not argue. I’m just the attorney. If we can’t reach an agreement, we’ll go through legal proceedings. Arguing with me will only make you angrier.”
Qiao Han looked at the glass, then at Yu Qing, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Yu Qing sat back down. “If you believe Fu Jichen has taken over your company, you can sue him in court. You must have evidence—every accusation will count. With an investment of 690 million yuan, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment.”
Qiao Han: “...”
Yu Qing: “General Manager Qiao, if I were to hand you a promissory note right now, if it were your loan, you would remain silent. If it weren’t yours, wouldn’t you be quick to challenge me?”
She calmly continued, “Perhaps you’re unclear about the undisclosed investment, but Qiao Yang and Teacher Qiao know. Otherwise, why would they see my contract and have no doubts? Why wouldn’t they ask me what’s going on? General Manager Qiao, isn’t this reasonable?”
Qiao Han opened his mouth, suddenly unsure of what to say.
At this point, Qin Yu spoke up. “From now on, this is no longer casual conversation. Every word you say carries legal responsibility. Think carefully before you speak. You can talk freely at home, but in court, every word counts. No one is playing around here.”
Qiao Weiming swallowed his words back.
Qin Yu handed out photocopies of some documents to each of them. “Fu’s investment funds, whether from his account or another investment company’s account, all have proof here. Your regular work reports to this big boss also have email records.”
Yu Qing: “Actually, whether or not we have this contract doesn’t matter much. Legally, it’s about the chain of evidence. By signing, Fu Jichen is trying to maximize your benefits. Whether or not you sign is up to your conscience. However, if you choose not to sign, we’ll proceed legally. The last page of your materials outlines the consequences of your insistence on embezzling the company, including the number of years you might be sentenced.”
She picked up the contract, walked around the coffee table to Qiao Han, “On behalf of Fu, I’m trying to settle this privately as much as possible. Normally, I wouldn’t give others such a chance, but I still need to respect Fu’s wishes. So, I want to confirm again: is this investment or a loan?”
Qiao Han clenched the stack of documents, making a rustling sound. “Lawyer Yu, you...”
“You answer me first, then I’ll answer you.” Yu Qing interrupted him. “General Manager Qiao, is Fu Jichen’s investment a loan? Just answer me: yes or no? It’s very simple.”
“This money...”
Yu Qing interrupted him again. “General Manager Qiao, we need to clarify the nature of this money: is it a loan or an investment? Think carefully before speaking. At this moment, your words carry legal responsibility.”
Qiao Han gritted his teeth, veins bulging.
Yu Qing’s voice suddenly became very calm. “General Manager Qiao, have you ever thought about how, during these years when you’ve been recklessly spending, Teacher Qiao has been condemning his own conscience?”
“In my father’s eyes, I’m nothing. Every day, I squander the money he works hard to earn by waking up at five o’clock. Compared to you, I find myself a bit better. At least I haven’t made him feel guilty. What do you think?”
Without waiting for Qiao Han to respond, she walked over to Qiao Weiming. “Teacher Qiao, actually, Fu Jichen knows everything. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept New Tech off Fu Group’s list of proposed investments. Why didn’t he want Fu Group to invest in New Tech?”
Qiao Weiming remained silent. At this moment, saying more would mean making more mistakes; silence was the best option.
Yu Qing answered herself: “Because during due diligence, your New Tech would be exposed. Management, finance—all a mess. Research funds were misappropriated. Fu Jichen doesn’t care about the undisclosed agreement or control of the company. What he cares about most is protecting you because you only have Qiao Han as your son. If something happens, you won’t be able to live.”
Qiao Han interrupted, taking over. “Lawyer Yu, don’t sugarcoat it. If he wants to protect us, why does he care about the undisclosed investment agreement and control of the company? Isn’t he just trying to regain control? Initially, he only invested a few hundred million and gained absolute controlling shares. These past few years, our family has been busy running around. Who owes whom?”
Yu Qing smiled. “General Manager Qiao, this way of talking is correct. You shouldn’t impulsively claim the investment is a loan, which would hurt everyone’s feelings.”
She paused for a few seconds to let them digest.
“After signing the contract, the company will still be managed by you. However, all existing problems need to be self-checked and resolved within six months. If corrected in time, there’s no need for legal proceedings. Punishment is not the goal.”
Qiao Han: “...”
He narrowed his eyes.
He had been caught in this woman’s trap.
These lawyers must have been recording everything and uploading it simultaneously.
...
After leaving New Tech, Yu Qing checked the time. “Manager Qiao, seeing the client this morning might be too late. Let’s reschedule for another day.”
Qiao Yang forced a smile, though angry inside, she couldn’t show it. “We’ll follow your schedule.”
Back at Fu Group, it was lunchtime.
Yu Qing took the contract and waited for Fu Jichen in his private room.
As usual, Fu Jichen went to the cafeteria and pushed open the door of the private room, slightly stunned.
The familiar figure was leaning on the windowsill, looking outside.
Hearing footsteps, Yu Qing turned around. “President Fu, thank you for the tea.” She shook the lemon tea in her hand.
Fu Jichen took off his coat and walked over. “It seems things went smoothly.”
“It had to. After many sleepless nights and with President Fu’s lemon tea boosting morale, it would be difficult not to win.” Yu Qing looked out the window again.
Her elbow rested on the windowsill, and Fu Jichen placed his palm underneath to support her.
He stared at her. “Why are you dressed so innocently today?”
Yu Qing: “Do I look good?”
Fu Jichen nodded. “Yu Qing, breaking up shows no contractual spirit.”
“Halfway abandoning the contract rules shows even less contractual spirit.”
Fu Jichen: “I apologize on your behalf. Now that I’ve apologized, let’s reconcile.”
Yu Qing turned to look at him, not understanding what he meant.
Fu Jichen played two roles by himself:
“Fu Jichen, I apologize.”
“Alright, I forgive you.”
Yu Qing laughed. “You’re such a drama queen.”
Fu Jichen couldn’t laugh. “Let’s turn the page. I won’t hold your hidden identity against you.” He paused. “I apologize again. Sorry. Tomorrow morning, I’ll pick you up again.”
Yu Qing tilted her head slightly and drank half a sip of tea. “President Fu, I won’t forgive you just because of an apology. First of all, our views on marriage are different now.”
Fu Jichen took over. “Mm. Then tell me, besides this, what else makes it impossible for you to forgive me immediately?”
Yu Qing: “You left me homeless, unforgivable. During this time, I can only rely on the alarm clock to wake me up at five in the morning; no one drags me out of bed and hands me clothes anymore, unforgivable. Before sleeping at night, I don’t see you, unforgivable! How can I forgive you and go back with you just because of an apology?”
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