Getting Married? I Thought we Were Sworn Enemies - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Do you know how despicable that guy is, Brother? He actually wants to marry me. He wants to sleep with me, to degrade me, to make me his lover. As I thought, this guy’s intentions are sinister. I was worried he just came to watch the joke, but I never expected him to not only watch but to kick me while I’m down.” Meng Lingyao spoke through gritted teeth. “Brother, listen to the things he said—it’s too much! Isn’t it obvious he’s just trying to disgust me? I really thought he was some great saint doing that ‘returning good for evil’ act!”

Meng Lingyao rambled on, his anger gradually dissipating as he spoke. He looked up at his brother’s still-closed eyes, and his tone shifted.

“However, I looked at the contracts he gave. They’re a huge help to the Meng Group. Second Uncle and Aunt are plotting together, trying to set up another company behind my back—some ‘Little Meng Group.’ You know that most of the current shareholders want to withdraw or even sell their shares at a loss. The company’s funds are tied up; if the capital chain breaks, the company goes bankrupt. With these partnerships, although the foundation of the Meng Group will be damaged, as long as the company exists, there’s a day we can climb back up.

I don’t have much of a head for business, otherwise, I wouldn’t have been outplayed by Second Uncle and Aunt. Oh, right—I can’t be too polite to those two families anymore. Right now, they are enemies, not relatives. They’re bastards.

In the future, I’m considering hiring a professional manager to run the Meng Group while I watch from behind. With your and Dad’s people keeping an eye out, they won’t be able to cause much trouble.

So, regarding this current hurdle… even though Qi Zhongjing is low-class, he’s only doing this to annoy me. The company gets helped so easily because of him. So… while his character isn’t great, he gets the job done well.

Taking things as they are, I haven’t really lost anything, so I agreed to his conditions.”

“Brother, even though it’s a bit humiliating, I’ve grown up. I can sacrifice a bit of my own interests for the sake of the company. I feel like I’m doing a great job.”

Meng Lingyao continued his monologue; his internal fire flared up and then died down with the telling, though his expression remained as sour as ever.

“Bro, get well soon. It’s late; tomorrow Qi Zhongjing is bringing people to the company for detailed talks. I have to give him some face, so people don’t say the Meng Group is still putting on airs even now.”

If you get better, I won’t have to suffer so much humiliation.

Meng Lingyao looked at his brother’s unresponsive sleeping face, a flash of disappointment and sadness crossing his heart. He was used to it, though. He instructed the doctors and nurses to watch his brother carefully, then went back to his own wing to wash up and sleep.

He didn’t sleep well all night. Perhaps because of what Qi Zhongjing said that evening, he had nightmares all night—all of them about married life with Qi Zhongjing.

Waking up early, Meng Lingyao cried out at the bad luck of it all.

…

At the Meng Group headquarters, unlike six months ago when the place was bustling and every employee was full of energy and purpose, the employees arriving for work now all wore expressions of worry, looking like frost-bitten eggplants.

Seeing the majority of the upper management withdrawing and lower-level employees resigning daily, the workload had increased while salaries remained stagnant. Moreover, it looked like the company was about to collapse.

“Tell me, when do you think the company will go bankrupt…” one male employee said with a worried face. He was nearly forty; if the Meng Group really went under, it wouldn’t be easy to find a job at his age. At his age, he had the elderly above and children below; his whole family relied on him.

If the “towering tree” of the Meng Group truly fell, the end would come for small fry like them too. Being stuck in the mud, knowing death was approaching but having no way to save themselves—how could they not worry?

“I don’t know. Anyway, the situation isn’t optimistic. Better make plans early,” a female employee took up the thread. “I’ve been sending resumes everywhere. As soon as I find a new place, I’m jumping ship immediately.”

This company, in the hands of the young master who—as expected—turned out to be a spendthrift, hadn’t lasted six months and was about to fail.

The female employee’s words clearly garnered agreement from the colleagues around her.

“Me too. I have two interviews this afternoon; I’m taking leave in a bit to go.”

Situations like this were common inside the Meng Group building; people discussed it every day. Especially when they noticed a colleague missing here or there, they would whisper.

“Don’t you know? The ‘Little Meng Group’ is calling out—if Meng Group employees want to switch over, they can start immediately. Although seniority resets and seniority benefits are gone, the salary stays the same. Quite a few employees have already contacted them; it’s true, and they’ve already started moving.”

“Really?” Someone who was slow to get news and was worrying himself sick immediately pressed for more. “Tell me quickly!”

Clearly, this was internal information—or rather, a move by the other side to make the Meng Group even more chaotic, giving it a final push to make it collapse faster during its unstable moment.

“Of course it’s true! Why else would I tell you!” The man continued his persuasion, his expression full of sincerity.

“Is that so? That’s quite a grand gesture!” A slightly mocking voice came from behind the man.

The man patted his chest. “Naturally! Believe me, you can’t go wrong. I already plan to leave. What future is there here? If you’re late, the good opportunities will be snatched up by others…”

As he spoke, he saw the surrounding employees, who had been waiting for him to continue, suddenly looking terrified. Each one immediately turned away, pretending they didn’t exist. Belatedly realizing that the voice didn’t sound right, he turned his head and saw the young master of the Meng family looking at him with arms crossed and a half-smile.

The current culprit of the Meng Group’s ruin, the decision-maker—Meng Lingyao.

“Young… President Meng…” The man stammered, his expression very strange as if he were desperately trying to suppress his thoughts.

Meng Lingyao looked at the man who had been talking so excitedly but was now as quiet as a sawed-off gourd and utterly cowardly. He chuckled with a face full of mockery. “My dear Second Uncle really knows how to spend money. Even at this stage, he doesn’t forget to take a jab at me.”

“Continue,” Meng Lingyao said, pointing a finger at the man with a smirk.

The man trembled slightly, forced a smile, and said, “President… President Meng, I was joking… don’t listen to my nonsense…”

“Don’t be afraid. Since Second Uncle ordered you to come and persuade people, don’t act all cowering as if I’ve hit you. I’m a reasonable person, even if I look quite disgusting to you. If you have the guts to do it, do it to my face; I’d respect you as a man then.” When Meng Lingyao opened his mouth, his words were never polite. “I know everyone has the intention to jump ship. It’s fine. I won’t stop you. Whoever wants to go with him, I won’t stop you. Just submit your resignation, the company will settle your wages immediately, and you can leave.”

Meng Lingyao’s voice was loud, and many people present heard him clearly. Although they were all silent now, who knew if their hearts were wavering?

He glanced at these “quails,” didn’t linger, and led a group of people toward the conference room.

This was the middle-management area. His dear Second Uncle and the others wouldn’t give up on this piece of meat. These were old employees who had worked at the Meng Group for many years and had rich experience; to completely hollow out the Meng Group, these people were indeed a significant resource.

Meng Lingyao thought mockingly that he had very little prestige in the Meng Group. After all, his own decisions had failed repeatedly; he was a thorough, good-for-nothing playboy.

“President Meng, if you say that, the company will be shaken even more violently.” A high-level executive in his late forties or fifties, who had fought alongside the elder Mr. Meng to build the empire, advised Meng Lingyao with concern. “It’s better not to be too reckless.”

Meng Lingyao was unexpectedly warm toward the loyal subordinates of his father and brother, and his tone was even patient. “Uncle, once someone has the heart to jump ship, what use is it to forcibly keep them? Besides, now that these pests are jumping out one by one, isn’t this a rare opportunity to clean the company and purge those black sheep? Why keep those disgusting things around to annoy people?”

His attitude was tough, even bordering on brash—still possessing that arrogance inherent to the former young master. He spoke without any politeness.

Everyone understood Meng Lingyao’s unspoken meaning. To some extent, this situation could distinguish who had long ago turned to others and who was loyally serving the company.

Currently, the news of the cooperation with the Qi family hadn’t been leaked yet; they could use this chance to clear people out.

“It is indeed a good idea. I already had my people watch for who was inciting trouble, so we can use this chance to purge them. The list is already out. Before the news of the cooperation is exposed, let’s solve this matter first,” said Qian Linhao, who was formerly Meng Lingsheng’s secretary and was now Meng Lingyao’s head secretary.

He was a man of action, immediately taking out his phone to give instructions to his subordinates. If they left voluntarily, it would save a fortune in severance pay.

Meng Lingyao watched Qian Linhao’s movements, then turned to Sun Feng. “Uncle, Brother Qian has started moving. You need to speed up the arrangements for personnel on your end. The gap between those leaving and those coming in will be very large. Don’t be stingy with funds; use money to smash a path open for me. According to the contract, the first batch of funds from the Qi family will arrive quickly. Have headhunters aggressively poach people; get the whole company running at high speed.”

“I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll coordinate with Little Qian. As he clears people out on his end, I’ll fill the gaps on mine. Nothing will be delayed.” Now that the company had a lifeline, they all had something to strive for; every one of them was as excited as if they’d been injected with adrenaline.

“Good. Everyone here is a pillar of strength who fought alongside my father and brother. My leadership errors put the company in crisis, yet you didn’t leave. I thank you all. After we survive this crisis, I will hold a celebration for everyone.” Meng Lingyao started with some polite formalities. “The upcoming workload will be huge, and external enemies are still watching us like tigers. You’re going to have a hard time ahead.”

Meng Lingyao tapped the table, speaking only of important matters regarding the overall direction and control of the company’s affairs.

“Rest assured, Young President Meng. We all understand. Finally, we can get moving; we can’t wait.”

“Exactly. These past few days have been stifling. Now we can finally have a good fight.”

The people present in the conference room were all elites—or rather, people who still held hope for the Meng Group. Their loyalty was beyond question, and Meng Lingyao kept this in his heart.

Every one of them was full of drive, their spirits a world apart from before.