[The Cloudy Future of the Qin Group]
[After the Chairman of the Qin Group was put to rest two days ago, reports of chaos erupting inside the boardroom continued to trend as the shareholders demanded answers about the future of the Qin Group. Everyone was aware of the influence that Chairman Qin held, and his passing could only mean trouble for the Qin Group and its five affiliates. There is much speculation that his second son, Mr. Qin Hao, will take over as he is the only Qin currently working for the company. There is still no news of Mr. Qin Chuan or his wife as neither of them attended…]
“This is what the world thinks about us,” Qin Hao said as he turned towards the group of men and women who were sitting at the long rectangular conference table in front of him. “Everyone thinks that we are in chaos and the shares instantly dropped by 3%.” Qin Hao rose from his seat and he muted the LED TV that was located behind him.
“As a businessman,” he began, “I understand the unrest that you might be feeling. However, I can assure you that once I take over as Chairman, order will be restored.”
“Mr. Qin, with the scandals currently facing each member of the Qin Family, I don’t think this is the right time for you to take over as Chairman. I suggest that Vice President Dongfang take over for now while we address the accusations hurled against you by Miss Zhang,” said a prominent board member. “Mr. Dongfang also holds twelve percent of the shares in the company. Although it is not as big as what you hold, the man has worked with the company for more than thirty years. I am confident that he will bring much needed confidence and stability to the company.”
“Mr. Qin, I agree with Mr. Tsui. Mr. Dongfang is someone that the Chairman trusted… I am sure that…”
As expected, Zhang Yifei’s claims actually had a negative effect on him. This was something that he could not accept. “I have been with this company for more than thirty years,” Qin Hao retorted as rage started to build within him. “And my accomplishments speak for themselves,” he said with his chin in the air as he was truly proud of ‘his’ achievements.
“Gentlemen, this company has been in our family for years. My family built this company from scratch. Are you really going to ignore this fact just because of that woman’s claims?” he asked with a calm yet stern expression on his face. “Ten years ago when our company encountered trouble in Hunan Province, I, personally, was the one who resolved the issues in less than forty-eight hours. Fifteen years ago, when one of us…” Qin Hao continued to remind them of the accomplishments and sacrifices he’d made on behalf of the Qin Group..
This immediately swayed divisions amongst the board members. After all, Qin Hao was telling the truth. He had been with this company for more than thirty years. How could they ignore all of his accomplishments in the face of what could simply be a calculated accusation?
“Mr. Qin… I apologize for interrupting but I have something to say,” a lanky man in his forties said as he raised his hand. When Qin Hao nodded at him, he continued, “I agree with Mr. Tsui on this, not merely because of your scandal, but because of our market. We take pride in creating exclusive high-end jewelry designs and other branded accessories for women. How can we let the public assume that our Chairman has a history of assaulting women and we, the Board, have no objection to that and are happy to proceed as usual?”
Silence instantly followed as some of the board members slowly shook their heads. It seems that the speaker was in fact a representative sent by a shareholder based abroad.
“You have a point,” Qin Hao conceded. “However, I have a way to clear my name. My lawyer is already taking care of it. These are all rumors and we all know that I am not the type of person who would do that to a woman. I am certain that my name will be cleared soon.”
Some of the board members nodded in agreement. Weren’t these all rumors? They can give him a chance once his name is cleared.
….
Meanwhile, on the ground floor of the Qin Group’s main office, a tall man wearing a dark blue tuxedo strode into the building followed by two men in police uniforms and another man wearing a black suit.
“Good morning,” the man in a dark blue tuxedo said to the receptionist. “I am here to see Mr. Qin Hao, please.”
“Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked with her eyes glued to the computer screen in front of her.
“No, but I believe Mr. Qin will agree to see me immediately once you tell him my name,” the man smiled.
“Your name please?” the receptionist asked before she raised her head and gasped audibly. “Mr… Mr… Qin…” she said as she rose from her seat. “Mr. Qin Chuan, sir, I… I apologize for not recognizing your voice,” she stammered before giving him a small bow. Although the attendant was young and new, she still recognized Qin Chuan as his name was an illustrious part of the company’s past.
This man’s business acumen and talent in jewelry design was known throughout the industry. However, Mr. Qin was said to be paralyzed… The attendant seemed to realize something as she froze and stared at Qin Chuan intently. Wasn’t he paralyzed? Why is he standing tall in front of her now?
“So are you going to allow me to go to my brother’s office?” Qin Chuan asked with a hint of a smile on his face. His gaze was gentle, but at the same time it made the receptionist shiver. How could a face be so gentle and yet so dangerous at the same time?
