Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
On the following day, several media agencies published reports about the Xiao Family and Jiang Family colluding with each other to make use of Yang Ziyu to ruin the Ai Shang product launch. They even attached photos of Jiang Shaofeng and Xiao Zhiyuan having some drinks together, sparking an uproar amongst the readers.
The Jiang Family and Wen Family had always been at odds against each other, and two years ago, the Xiao Family ambitiously tried to acquire Ai Shang Group and delve into the luxury brands market. The Jiang Family, which used to be close to the Wen Family, actually turned against them and stabbed them in the back. They colluded with the Xiao Family to acquire Ai Shang Group, causing the Wen Family to suffer a major loss.
Just as everyone thought that the Wen Family would be defeated in the battle, there was a sudden twist of fate and the Jiang Family pulled out of the acquirement plan, causing the Xiao Corporation to suffer a major loss. Subsequently, the Wen Corporation invested in Ai Shang Group and made it part of the corporation.
Ever since then, the Jiang Family became a second-class family!
The Xiao Family had also suffered the same fate.
However, the three families officially had a feud with each other.
Hence, the public was rather doubtful of the matter when the news was first released.
Wen Haowen was surrounded by a bunch of reporters at the lobby of the Wen Corporation office tower. When they asked about his opinion towards the matter, he simply answered with a sullen expression, “The Wen Family’s authority is not to be challenged!”
His words were rather intimidating.
On that very same day. The Xiao Corporation’s stock prices began to plunge by a sudden 30% and they were still continuing to decline.
Xiao Zhiyuan took a deep breath, though he was still unable to curb his frustration. “Father, it was negligence on my part this time. I actually allowed the reporters to sneak up on me and snap photos of me and Jiang Shaofeng having some drinks. As a result, it proved that Jiang Shaofeng and I really colluded to go against the Wen Family. It gave them the chance to retaliate.”
He thought that the Wen Family would deal with Yang Ziyu. Hence, they had already made preparations beforehand and sent Yang Ziyu abroad. They thought that the Wen Family wouldn’t be able to do anything even after finding out that the Xiao Family had plotted against them.
However, he did not expect that the Wen Family would act on Jiang Shaofeng and create such a stir using just some photos of him and Jiang Shaofeng having a few drinks. They were clearly not to be belittled.
After all… everyone in the upper-class society was well aware that the Jiang and Xiao Families had fallen out with each other ever since the Xiao Family failed in acquiring Ai Shang Group. Now that Xiao Zhiyuan was photographed being together with Jiang Shaofeng, it was apparent that they were in cahoots with each other.
“Zhiyuan, you’ve really been too careless this time. Do you know why the Jiang Family wanted to borrow money from you?” Old Mr. Xiao had known long ago that Xiao Zhiyuan and Jiang Shaofeng had gotten close again. He did not approve of their behavior of colluding together to deal with the Wen Family. However, he did not know how scheming Wen Xinya actually was, so much that she had managed to ruin their plan.
Xiao Zhiyuan glanced at his father, filled with an ominous feeling. “Father, could there be more to this?”
Ever since the Jiang Family fell out with the Wen Family, they had been continuously attacked by Wen Haowen. He did not think too much about it because he was busy handling the cash flow issues that they were facing.
Old Mr. Xiao shook his head and said, “Five days ago, it was verified that there are safety issues with the Jiang Family’s food products and they’re facing a major financial issue. That’s why he decided to seek help from you.”
The problem with food safety was that there was bound to be several issues once a check was conducted. The Jiang Family had been managing the food safety issues rather well and there had never been any major problems in the past either. However… a food safety issue actually arose at such a juncture. It was obviously premeditated.
They were just waiting for Jiang Shaofeng and Xiao Zhiyuan to fall into the trap.
Clearly, Xiao Zhiyuan had also thought about something. His eyes widened in shock and he said, “Father, the Wen Family must have plotted this long ago.”
Old Mr. Xiao nodded with a sullen expression.
Xiao Zhiyuan turned pale and said in disdain, “I didn’t expect Wen Haowen to be so scheming.”
Xiao Zhiyuan’s face grew sullen at the thought of what Wen Haowen said to the reporters about the Wen Family’s authority.
Old Mr. Xiao shook his head and said, “Zhiyuan, you still haven’t gotten the clearer picture yet. Wen Haowen is overtly ambitious yet incompetent. How could he possibly be that shrewd and scheming? That little lass from the Wen Family was the one who plotted this right from the start. We’ve all belittled her.”
Ever since Yang Ziyu caused a stir in the Wen Corporation and Wen Xinya intervened to solve the issue, the Jiang Family was then plagued with the food safety issues and they sought help from the Xiao Family. The media then reported it. It was apparent that Wen Xinya was the one behind it all.
He still remembered the images of Wen Xinya and Yang Ziyu being at odds with each other on the internet, as well as the menacing look on Wen Xinya’s face when she said sternly that no one was to challenge the Wen Family’s authority. She looked much more formidable than Wen Haowen.
Xiao Zhiyuan clenched his fists tightly together, finding it unacceptable to have lost to the greenhorn Wen Xinya time and time again. He sneered. “I was wondering why Old Mr. Wen would rather sacrifice his family’s reputation than give up his insistence on searching for that gangster who led a wandering life for fifteen years. He even helped her improve her reputation. It turns out that old fogy found out how scheming she can be.”
Old Mr. Xiao nodded and said, “Wen Zhihang has always been mercenary. We should have realized earlier that he decided to acknowledge her simply because she’s really something.”
Although he had already guessed that Wen Xinya was the one behind their failure to acquire Ai Shang Group, he still felt that Old Mr. Wen was involved.
Boiling with fury, Xiao Zhiyuan said, “Father, the Wen Family is too powerful for us. There are lots of rumors that are disadvantageous to us circulating on the internet. There’s no way we can stop them at all.”
Old Mr. Xiao fiddled with the red chess piece in his hand and asked, “How did the board meeting go?”
Xiao Zhiyuan’s face grew sullen and he said, “Father, I called for an emergency meeting this morning, but all the shareholders did was to complain. They didn’t even care about the strategy that I came up with.”
He did not expect that the Wen Family would retaliate all of a sudden and cause the Xiao Family to be at a loss for what to do. Previously, they had already held an emergency meeting. However, the shareholders simply put all the blame on him and did not seem to care about his suggestion to solve the issue by investing in their own stocks.
Old Mr. Xiao said, “Since the Wen Family wants to deal with the Xiao Family, we shall retaliate. Leave the shareholders to me!”
As happy as a lark, Xiao Zhiyuan said, “Father, I won’t have to worry now that you’re intervening.”
Old Mr. Xiao nodded.
