To Marry My Little Chestnut - Chapter 4

5:30 PM. The Haicheng branch of Changhang Group.

Haicheng is the provincial capital nearest to Beijing. With most of its cities coastal and urban development moving at light speed, it is a first-tier city that rivals the capital itself. Neon LED billboards flickered against the sunset, showcasing elegant models as a mall slogan drifted through the air: [Rongguang Diamonds: A century of love passed down.]

Rongguang was a brand recently launched by the Haicheng branch. It had already spread to major shopping centers nationwide, quickly becoming the most popular luxury accessory line in the region.

On the top floor of Changhang, over a dozen secretaries were busy at their desks. Lin Xilan stepped out of the elevator and tapped Susan on the shoulder while she was on the phone booking flight tickets. “Is President Zheng still inside?”

Susan hung up and leaned in, lowering her voice. “Do not go in there.”

“Guangmao Group suddenly demanded an extra 2% profit margin during the merger meeting today. President Zheng’s expression was terrible. He canceled his trip to Beijing to see Chairman Pei; this cooperation with Guangmao is about to blow up.”

Secretary Lin paused and checked his watch. “Just wait. Guangmao will be back here begging before 8:00 PM.”

“You did not see how arrogant the Guangmao representative was today,” Susan whispered. “He called President Zheng a ‘henchman with no diploma or vision’ and said he only got his position by doing odd jobs for Chairman Pei. President Zheng actually smiled and poured tea for him! My heart was nearly jumping out of my chest!”

Secretary Lin smiled. He had not expected Guangmao’s intimidation tactics to be so amateur.

The Haicheng branch controlled the province’s export ports. Guangmao Group was in the real estate business; recently, the government had granted them a reclamation permit for a patch of sea. Unfortunately, that area blocked the ferry departure route. If all ferries had to reroute, costs would skyrocket and the port would lose half its value.

Zheng Tingyang wanted to buy Guangmao’s permit, offering them shares in Changhang’s new product line in return. Guangmao had agreed on the profit split but suddenly hiked the price at the last minute, threatening to breach the contract if he refused.

Zheng Tingyang’s background was common industry knowledge: he was a high school dropout who only recently earned an adult undergraduate degree after joining the corporate ranks. Having started as a dockworker carrying heavy loads at seventeen, the established elites often looked at him through a biased lens, saying he was a “peasant in a dragon’s robe.”

Guangmao Group was a deeply rooted local family business. Changhang’s branch had been in Haicheng for less than a year; the other party’s arrogance was not just a personal slight against Zheng Tingyang but a “power move” against the company itself.

Susan asked, “Secretary Lin, where were you today?”

Lin Xilan rubbed his brow. “President Zheng had me deliver some materials to the Administration Bureau. It dragged on until now.”

Susan leaned in curiously. “Why do you say they will be back to beg by eight? They were so arrogant today, holding that reclamation document over our heads and opening their mouths like lions. And since the government approved it, we are in a tight spot!”

“Guangmao is an old enterprise; they definitely have ties to the government. President Zheng was just promoted. If he loses this deal, his position is at risk and the Group takes a loss. They bet that he would sacrifice profit to save his job.”

“Will he really give in?”

“Guangmao’s trap is large, and they have the government as a backer. What else can he do?”

“Exactly. If he cannot handle Guangmao, will he not be ousted right after becoming CEO?”

Lin Xilan thought to himself: Most people who try to trip up President Zheng do not last twenty-four hours.

He poured a cup of coffee and added extra sugar; President Zheng liked it sweet. Before becoming his special assistant, Lin had assumed the CEO preferred sugar-free black coffee.

He knocked, and a steady voice answered: “Enter.”

Inside, the man held a cigarette between his fingers, looking down at a folder. The computer light sharpened his features. His eyes were not pure black but a light, amber brown, giving him a powerful, mysterious air.

As the coffee hit the desk, Zheng Tingyang’s brow twitched. “Is it done?”

“Yes. The news starts in about three minutes.”

Zheng Tingyang took a sip of coffee. Smoke drifted from his mouth and was pulled back in through his nose, a misty veil obscuring his expression. Secretary Lin turned on the office television and set the volume to its lowest setting.

Guangmao Group thought they had him cornered. They bet he would empty the coffers to save his career. They had calculated wrong; Zheng Tingyang was only ever the one doing the calculating.

At 5:40 PM, the Haicheng news report began.

[The Deputy Director of the Haicheng Administration Office was reported today for corruption. He is accused of assisting a certain group in illegally approving reclamation documents without bidding and using his position for money laundering and workplace harassment. Relevant personnel are undergoing further investigation…]

The news ended. Zheng Tingyang’s pen glided across the file as he signed his name. “No visitors today.”

“Yes, sir.”

At 7:00 PM, the same Vice Chairman of Guangmao who had been so arrogant that morning arrived in person. He wanted to see Zheng Tingyang and was now willing to sign the original contract.

Secretary Lin went downstairs with a polite smile. “I am sorry, President Zheng is unavailable. He said that if you agree to sign this new document, he will consider it tomorrow morning.”

He handed over a new contract. Not only was the 2% increase gone, but it now required Guangmao to concede an additional 5% in profits. The Guangmao representatives panicked, desperate for a meeting.

“President Zheng said that after today, Changhang will not accept any cooperation from Guangmao. You should consider it. After all, with Deputy Director Dong under investigation, the documents he signed may no longer be valid. When this reclamation land goes up for re-bidding, it is uncertain if Guangmao can even get the land back, right?”

In short, Guangmao had lost everything. They had to apologize and pay a heavy price. Six months ago, when Zheng Tingyang was transferred to Haicheng, he had Lin start an investigation into Director Dong. He held evidence of gifts, bribes, and misconduct in his hands, knowing someone would try to sabotage his promotion. Guangmao’s threat relied on their “big tree” of a backer. Unfortunately, Zheng Tingyang had already gripped the roots of that tree.

Guangmao’s people begged, but security blocked them. It was a pathetic sight. If they signed, they lost tens of millions; if they did not, the land was lost, and their reputation would die alongside Director Dong.

Secretary Lin left them in the lobby to “consider” their options. Behind him, the Guangmao representative began screaming at his own team, asking who was stupid enough to antagonize Zheng Tingyang that morning. In less than a day, their backer had fallen exactly as Zheng Tingyang had planned.

At 8:00 PM, Lin brought in fresh coffee. “President Ji of Guangmao has been waiting for half an hour.”

Zheng Tingyang replied, “I work for Chairman Pei. President Ji was right—I am just a henchman. Tell him to contact Chairman Pei at headquarters directly.”

“Understood.”

In the office, the cigarette burned down. In the darkness, Zheng Tingyang leaned back. He reached out and pushed a toy building block skyscraper on his desk. With a clatter, the structure collapsed. In an instant, the tower fell. A few blocks tumbled to the floor and lay in the corner, looking much like the cold corpse of Guangmao Group.

His phone pinged. An alert notified him that his surveillance target had left the designated location. The small red dot on the screen was not heading home; it was moving quickly in the opposite direction. He was in someone else’s car.

Zheng Tingyang narrowed his eyes and dialed the number. “Are you off work?”

The call was answered instantly, but it was the voice of an anxious boy.

“Hello? Who is this? Brother Yan cannot talk right now. If you want to order flowers, call back tomorrow.” The background was noisy, filled with people.

“I am his husband.” Zheng Tingyang stood up and walked out.

The voice on the other end froze. Zheng Tingyang could hear Yu Yan’s voice in the background; based on his understanding, Yu Yan was crying.

“Ning Yuan, what happened to him? Speak. Now.”

The boy was startled, intimidated by the tone coming through the phone. “We…”

The cold authority in the man’s voice made it impossible for Ning Yuan to even wonder how this stranger knew his name.

“Brother Yan had an allergic reaction to his scent-blocking sticker. He had a fever this afternoon and fainted when we were closing the shop. We just arrived at the hospital.”

Hearing the boy’s voice, Zheng Tingyang’s face turned grim, yet he remained calm. “Do not let them give him anti-inflammatory injections. He has severe phlebitis.”

Ning Yuan stammered, “Okay. Okay.”

“We are in the emergency room. Are you coming? Brother Yan did not want me to call you…” Ning Yuan explained the situation while helping with the registration.

Yu Yan had been running a fever all afternoon and fainted without warning while arranging flowers. A delivery driver found them, and Ning Yuan rushed him to the hospital. In the chaos, Ning Yuan’s hand had been cut by a paper cutter and was bleeding. They did not know if Yu Yan’s belly had hit the ground. Yu Yan was pale, dazed, and crying from the pain.

Zheng Tingyang went downstairs. President Ji and his assistants tried to intercept him, thinking there was a chance to apologize. Zheng Tingyang did not give them a single glance, walking past them with a dark, freezing expression. When they tried to block his path, the sheer coldness in his eyes killed the words in their throats.

Secretary Lin drove. He had rarely seen President Zheng lose control to this extent. He wondered what could be more important than the Guangmao deal. Today, the man who called him a henchman was bowing at his feet. What was more important than watching an empire crumble?

They arrived at the hospital. The emergency room was chaotic. Snow and mud from the street left messy tracks on the floor. Zheng Tingyang saw him immediately: Yu Yan was curled up on a corner bed, his face buried in his scarf, sobbing quietly. His eyes were wide like a startled kitten’s, terrified to look around. His shoulders were shaking, and his face was white with pain.

He was terrified. Yu Yan had rarely left his home growing up; the outside world was alien to him. His life at the Yu residence had been a straight line between home and school. The flower shop was a safe bubble, but this noisy, crowded environment was overwhelming.

Ning Yuan had gone to pay the fees. Yu Yan lay there alone. He had tried to tell the nurse about his phlebitis, but it was too late; the needle had been inserted and then pulled out, and no one was paying attention to him. He was terrified the baby was hurt but was too scared to move. He looked like a lost fawn until Zheng Tingyang entered his field of vision.

The man walked toward him, his footsteps echoing in Yu Yan’s heart. In this strange place, Yu Yan’s blood felt like it was racing without a destination; he only wanted to crawl into a familiar embrace.

“I am here. I am here,” Zheng Tingyang said, stroking his back.

“The baby might be hurt. My stomach hurts. I think I fell. Zheng Tingyang, what should I do? I am scared…” Yu Yan sobbed, his tears falling like pearls.

Zheng Tingyang leaned down, the heartache in his eyes deepening into something intense. “Do not be afraid. I am here.”

“I am sorry. I did not mean to disturb your work,” Yu Yan gasped, coughing.

Zheng Tingyang froze. His expression became even more solemn as a suffocating pain tightened in his chest. He realized that his darling simply did not value himself enough.

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