Chapter 115: Trouble Has Struck the Huading Group

After getting out of bed, Chen Yang took a taxi to the Municipal Auditorium.

The Municipal Auditorium was a massive structure, typically used for significant meetings. Chen Yang got off the taxi at the roadside nearby and walked toward the square in front of the building, where he saw many wealthy business owners arriving in luxury cars one after another.

While the big bosses arrived in high-end vehicles, he had arrived by taxi. Yet, Chen Yang felt no sense of inferiority. After all, he simply didn’t want to buy a luxury car for the time being; if he truly wanted one, he could buy as many as he pleased.

"May I ask, who are you?"

As Chen Yang stood in the square, looking to see if he recognized anyone to chat with—since the meeting hadn't started yet and standing alone was rather boring—a stranger’s voice suddenly came from behind him.

Chen Yang turned around quickly to see a lean, elderly man in a black Chinese tunic suit. The man had a small face and wore rimless glasses, looking at him with curiosity.

Sensing the old man seemed to recognize him, Chen Yang smiled politely. "Hello."

The old man asked with a puzzled look, "Which company are you with?"

"Me? I’m representing Huading Company," Chen Yang replied with a faint smile.

"Oh! Huading Company! I knew you looked familiar. I’m an old friend of President Shen from your company. Hello, hello!" The old man immediately gripped Chen Yang's hand, his palm warm.

Chen Yang suspected the man might be trying to curry favor with Shen Donghua, but it didn't matter; having someone to talk to was better than being alone. After they shook hands for a moment and parted, Chen Yang asked, "May I have your name?"

"Oh, I’m from Sanlin Electric. My surname is Yang. Here is my business card." The old man hurriedly pulled a card from his pocket and handed it to him.

Chen Yang took the card and examined it carefully, learning that the man was named Yang Sanmu, a figure who seemed to have some reputation in the Linhai business circle. Chen Yang tucked the card away and chuckled, "I will pass this on to President Shen."

Yang Sanmu nodded and smiled, "Thank you, thank you, I appreciate it!"

"Chen Yang!?"

Just as Chen Yang and Yang Sanmu were exchanging smiles, he heard Qin Muxue’s voice calling out from behind him unexpectedly. Chen Yang’s heart skipped a beat. Qin Muxue? Was she attending the meeting too?

Chen Yang hurriedly said to Yang Sanmu, "I’m sorry, President Yang, my partner has arrived. Please excuse me."

Yang Sanmu stood with his hands behind his back, eyes wide. "This is your...?"

"Yes," Chen Yang replied with an awkward smile.

Chen Yang had revealed Qin Muxue’s identity in the hope that Yang Sanmu would excuse himself. Being a tactful man, Yang Sanmu offered a wry smile and turned to leave. Chen Yang’s goal was achieved.

Once Yang Sanmu was gone, Chen Yang turned to the puzzled Qin Muxue and asked with a smile, "Wife, what are you doing here?"

Qin Muxue furrowed her brows. "You ask me? I should be asking you—why are you here?"

"To attend a meeting," Chen Yang replied promptly.

"A meeting? At the Municipal Auditorium?" Qin Muxue asked, looking serious.

Chen Yang rubbed his nose and laughed. "Of course. I’m President Shen’s plenipotentiary representative. He’s ill and couldn't make it, so he sent me."

"Sent you? Is there no one else at Huading?" Qin Muxue questioned. In her eyes, Chen Yang was merely an assistant to Shen Donghua. Given the importance of the meeting, if the president were ill, one would expect a vice-president to be sent. Why end up with Chen Yang?

Chen Yang deliberately scratched the back of his head and gave a bitter smile. "Well, that’s just what President Shen told me to do. How would I know what he’s thinking?"

"Oh," Qin Muxue replied, not dwelling on it further. Seeing that the auditorium doors would likely open soon, she said softly, "Let’s head to the entrance. It should be opening any minute."

"Sure," Chen Yang nodded with a smile. He had been bored earlier, but having Qin Muxue for company was certainly better.

Before long, the doors opened, and Chen Yang walked into the auditorium along with the crowd of business owners. The meeting lasted two and a half hours and proceeded smoothly. Throughout the session, Chen Yang sat beside Qin Muxue; they didn’t speak, yet sitting together, they could feel each other's presence.

Finally, the meeting concluded. Chen Yang and Qin Muxue left the venue with the other attendees. Just then, an icy voice from a middle-aged man sounded from the side: "Well, well, isn't this President Chen and President Qin?"

The snide tone immediately drew their attention. Chen Yang turned to see a stout man with a flat-top haircut and an evil grin on his bloated face. He recognized him instantly as someone from the Southwest Chamber of Commerce.

The man squinted and laughed, "Chen, you brought down our Southwest Chamber of Commerce—watch out for karma."

Qin Muxue frowned in annoyance. Chen Yang, however, remained calm and smiled, "Karma? Whose karma?"

"Yours," the man sneered, raising an eyebrow.

"But I don't see any karma coming for us. If anything, it fell on your Southwest Chamber of Commerce, didn't it? Otherwise, the chamber wouldn't have dissolved, would it?" Chen Yang retorted sarcastically.

The man chuckled, "True, the chamber dissolved, but the brothers are all doing fine now. So what?"

"Nothing. Did the dissolution not teach you a lesson? You’d better behave yourself from now on," Chen Yang said coldly.

The man gave a wicked laugh. "You will definitely face retribution."

"Then let it come. Let’s see what kind of retribution it is," Chen Yang dismissed him with a smirk.

The man shot a cold look at both Chen Yang and Qin Muxue before turning away in a huff. Once he was gone, Qin Muxue looked at Chen Yang with concern. "Chen Yang, is he another person with a grudge against President Shen?"

"Yes, he's from the Southwest Chamber of Commerce. He's sick in the head, don't mind him. Let's head back," Chen Yang said with a smile.

Qin Muxue nodded, though she felt uneasy, as she didn't want Chen Yang getting into so much trouble. She dropped him off at the Huading Company office before driving to her own company.

Back in his office, Chen Yang called Shen Donghua. The call was answered almost instantly. "President Chen," Shen Donghua said respectfully.

"The meeting is over. It was quite interesting," Chen Yang said with a slight smile.

On the other end, Shen Donghua sounded ashamed. "I am truly sorry, President Chen. I simply cannot get out of bed; if I could, I would have gone myself."

"Don't worry about that. Your recovery is what's important, understand?" Chen Yang said earnestly.

Shen Donghua looked pale but nodded. "Yes, I understand. But honestly, I want to get better quickly so I can get back to work."

Chen Yang understood his eagerness, but anxiety was not good for recovery. He said seriously, "Do not rush. You must focus on healing for the time being."

"I understand," Shen Donghua replied.

"Alright, nothing else. I'll hang up now," Chen Yang said.

"Understood," Shen Donghua replied, and Chen Yang ended the call.

A week passed by without any major incidents. Chen Yang focused on his daily work and the projects, which were progressing well under his supervision. He calculated that if the Northern Suburb New City project were completed and sold successfully, he would earn at least one billion. The thought of it thrilled him.

A peaceful week passed quickly. On the morning of the following week, as Chen Yang was working, his phone buzzed on the desk. He picked it up to see it was a call from Lin Qianyao.

He answered, and heard Lin Qianyao sounding rather helpless: "President Chen, I’m sorry to bother you, but something has come up at the group that requires your attention."