DASFAM_54
At the meeting room entrance stood Shang Yanxiao, the very person who had faded from public view after falling into a coma from a car accident!
At this moment, his face showed none of the sickly pallor of someone who had been bedridden for so long. His brows and eyes carried the same cold arrogance and nobility as always. Even simply standing at the doorway was enough to draw the attention of everyone present.
Shang Queyan met the gaze his elder brother directed toward him, and as if suddenly having a great backing, the curve of his smile grew increasingly confident.
The shareholders who had originally lost faith in the third branch were instantly reinvigorated, "Third Young Master! You have recovered?"
"Really? When did you get better? How is your health?"
Shang Songming, having come to his senses, could no longer remain seated. He stood up and pressed forward with a preemptive challenge, moving so fast that even Shang Yun beside him had no time to stop him.
"Shang Yanxiao, what are you doing here?!"
Faced with this less than friendly confrontation, Shang Yanxiao coolly shifted his gaze, "We are cousins all the same. If even you can attend this shareholders meeting, why can't I be here?"
A cold and firm tone, a sharp and direct retort. The cutting force was no less than it had ever been.
What did he mean by 'even you'?
Shang Songming was immediately left speechless.
That familiar yet infuriating feeling was back again!
Everyone said Shang Yanxiao was exceptionally capable and well-spoken, but in Shang Songming's eyes, whether in the past or now, Shang Yanxiao was simply someone who looked down on everyone and had never once regarded him, his own cousin, with any respect.
Shang Keyi also snapped out of her shock. Just as she was about to speak, Shang Qishun quietly pressed down on her wrist beneath the table, signaling her to stay calm.
The lenses of Shang Qishun's glasses reflected a rare cold glint. The curve of his smile appeared carefully calculated, yet he still carried himself with a warm and pleasant demeanor, "Yanxiao, what your second brother means is..."
"When did you wake up? Why didn't you let the family know in advance? Everyone has been very worried about you."
Shang Yanxiao met that insincerely courteous face with calm composure, "Over three months ago, and the first thing I did after waking was to inform the Chairman."
Since they were in front of so many people from the company, Shang Yanxiao still referred to the Old Master Shang as 'Chairman'.
One of the shareholders was surprised, "You've been awake for over three months? Then why didn't you come back?"
"Exactly, we never heard the Old Master mention it either."
Shang Yanxiao offered a response he had long prepared, "I was in a coma for so long because of the car accident, and my bodily functions had deteriorated. I naturally needed time to rehabilitate. As for why it was kept quiet..."
His gaze shifted from the first branch's family over to the father and son of the second branch, carrying a meaningful weight.
Shang Songming was displeased, "What do you mean by that?"
Shang Yanxiao's expression didn't change, "Nothing. I'm just proud by nature. After recovering from a serious illness, I was still weak and didn't want others to see me like that and laugh. I wanted to fully recover before returning to the company. The Old Master knew about this and agreed."
"Oh?"
Shang Keyi looked at her nephew Shang Yanxiao, "It seems you are fully recovered now. The timing is quite perfect."
With renewed confidence, Shang Queyan's words carried an even sharper edge when she spoke again, "Something perfectly timed is always better than something forced. Fellow shareholders, I am recommending my brother. Does anyone have any objections?"
Shang Yanxiao had always been the grandson the Old Master Shang valued most, and he also held shares in the Shang Group. How could he possibly lack the standing?
The shareholders naturally had no objections.
Shang Keyi and Shang Yun exchanged a glance across the room. The siblings shared a rare moment of mutual frustration and unspoken understanding.
They had calculated every possibility, yet never anticipated that Shang Yanxiao would come back like this!
If their two branches didn't join forces now, the flame that the third branch had kept smothered for more than half a year was surely going to rise again!
In front of all the shareholders, Shang Yanxiao made a point of mimicking Bai Xu's obedient act, "Aunt, Second Uncle, may I take my seat?"
"......"
"......"
Who would dare openly stop him?
Who was he putting on this show of junior courtesy for? It was rather off-putting!
Shang Keyi said nothing. Shang Yun, who had long played the role of the agreeable peacemaker, had no choice but to gesture, "Of course, go ahead and sit. Now everyone is here."
Shang Yanxiao walked quickly to Shang Queyan's side. Assistant Guo, seated in the back row, was sharp enough to act immediately and slid a chair into place for Shang Yanxiao, "Third Young Master, please sit."
"Thank you."
Shang Yanxiao took his seat with composure.
Shang Queyan seized the moment to ask quietly, "Brother, where is Bai Xu?"
Shang Yanxiao thought of the plan the two of them had worked out in the early hours of the morning and kept it brief, "Given his current identity, it is not convenient for him to take part in this shareholders meeting. He has other matters to attend to."
Shang Queyan was still unaware of their separate plan and could only give a small nod for now.
Shang Yun reluctantly pulled his attention away from the third branch siblings and continued with the shareholders meeting proceedings, "Are there any other shareholders who wish to put forward a nomination?"
The shareholders looked at one another. No one brought up any new candidate.
At this point, each of the first, second, and third branches had put forward one candidate for acting chairman. This openly displayed infighting among family members was already quite a spectacle. As for the shareholders themselves, as long as they backed the right side and could count on stable returns in the future, that was enough.
What sensible person would want to get tangled up in this kind of mess?
Seeing that no one raised any further objections, Shang Yun spoke up once more, "In that case, let us..."
"Wait a moment."
Shang Yanxiao abruptly pulled the microphone from in front of Shang Queyan's table and cut off the flow of the meeting with clean precision, "Before everyone votes for the 'acting chairman,' I have two questions that must be asked clearly in front of all the shareholders."
The attention of the entire room converged once again.
Faced with the uniform gazes, Shang Yanxiao deliberately looked toward Shang Qishun diagonally across from him.
"......"
Shang Qishun couldn't immediately read what he was trying to do. His thoughts turned over countless times before settling on a safe reply, "Yanxiao, go ahead and say whatever you want to say."
That was exactly the line Shang Yanxiao had been waiting for.
His eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly changed direction, "Before the Chairman's accident yesterday afternoon, he met separately at home with Second Uncle and my aunt's husband. I would like to ask both of them to explain clearly in front of all the shareholders..."
"What did each of you say to him yesterday?"
"......"
Shang Qishun's brow furrowed. Only then did he realize that Shang Yanxiao had merely used his reply as an opening, so that others would assume he had agreed to the question in advance.
Shang Queyan caught on as well, "I heard from the head butler that the Old Master was in good spirits yesterday morning, was still eating normally at noon, and his daily blood pressure readings were perfectly fine. How did he end up collapsing with a cerebral hemorrhage in less than two hours?"
"I asked the doctor, and it cannot be ruled out that excessive emotional agitation led to a myocardial infarction."
With that point made, the implication was already clear enough.
Shang Yun caught the accusation woven through the siblings' words and his expression stiffened.
Shang Songming glared furiously, "Shang Yanxiao! Shang Queyan! Don't go too far, you two! What are you saying without a shred of evidence!"
Wu Wei said nothing, but his expression shifted as well.
Shang Keyi had only just learned of this and couldn't help glancing at her husband.
Wu Wei gave her a slight shake of his head.
Shang Keyi didn't think too much of it and chose to side with her own family, "What do you two siblings mean by bringing this up at a shareholders meeting? Are you actually suggesting that the first and second branches harmed the Old Master?"
Shang Yanxiao met Shang Keyi's displeasure with calm composure, "Aunt, Second Uncle and my aunt's husband need to clarify the situation. Otherwise, the shareholders present will inevitably have doubts."
A shareholder aligned with the third branch reacted quickly, "Exactly. The Chairman was only hospitalized in an accident yesterday, and today the shareholders meeting has been moved up by nearly half a month. The arrangements were made far too quickly!"
Shang Yanxiao held firm control of the room, "Once you explain things clearly, the vote continues. But if you cannot explain..."
Shang Queyan picked up seamlessly, with the faint air of someone ready to abandon all pretense, "Rather than a shareholders meeting, I think this should be handed to the police instead!"
Hearing this back-and-forth, the shareholders looked at one another.
Someone couldn't help murmuring quietly, "Why do I get the feeling that after this long absence, the Third Young Master has come back even sharper and harder than before?"
"Right, this doesn't look anything like family members competing for the chairman's seat. It looks more like genuine enemies."
"......"
Shang Keyi had always been proud and strong-willed. The last thing she wanted was for her family to be tainted by this kind of baseless accusation.
She slammed the table, "Shang Yanxiao!"
Before her rising temper could fully erupt, Shang Yun across from her spoke up, "The Old Master called me over to discuss the acquisition of Huawei Motors."
"He wanted me to work on that project together with Queyan."
Shang Songming heard the second half of that and his displeasure was plain to see, "Dad, did Grandfather really say that?"
Shang Queyan didn't argue against it, "Grandfather did bring this up with me, but I told him that it would still need Second Uncle's agreement."
The second branch had not produced any notable results for quite some time. The Old Master Shang could see this clearly and felt helpless about it, so he had wanted Shang Yun to involve Shang Queyan in the project under the name of collaboration. The intention was twofold; to help the former's branch company build a credible track record, and to give the latter further real-world experience.
Shang Yun hesitated, then ultimately spoke plainly, "I didn't agree. I believed Songming was capable of handling it, so things got a little unpleasant."
On a matter like this, there was no reason for him to lie. Genuine self-interest, stated honestly, could sometimes be more convincing than anything else.
As expected, none of the shareholders present had any doubts upon hearing this.
Even brothers keep score between themselves!
Shang Yun had a son of his own, so why would he bring his nephew along to do the work?
Shang Yanxiao sensed the mood shifting in the room and didn't press further, "Alright, I believe Second Uncle."
Shang Queyan turned toward Wu Wei, who had been characteristically silent across the table, "And you, Uncle Wu?"
"......"
Shang Keyi shot Shang Queyan a sharp look for her lack of manners, then changed course and looked at her husband, "Just say it. My second brother has already spoken. If you keep hedging, this blame is going to land squarely on our entire family."
Stand tall and fear no shadow!
She would not let others look down on her family!
Wu Wei looked somewhat troubled, "It... it was a personal matter."
Shang Keyi had always been the dominant one in their marriage, "Then tell me anyway."
Wu Wei let out a helpless sigh, speaking as though he were confessing only to his wife, "Father said he had been thinking a lot lately about the past. He said that back then, by refusing to approve our marriage, he had damaged the relationship between you and him. He said he was getting on in years, that many things were no longer within his power, and he asked me to... to treat you well from now on."
The hardness on Shang Keyi's face softened. A flicker of disbelief and emotion rose in her eyes, "Father said all of that to you?"
Wu Wei nodded quickly and brought in another witness, "The head butler was still there when I left. He can testify that I did not have any argument with the Old Master. If you don't believe me, you can go ask him once this is all over."
"......"
Shang Qishun gave his glasses a light push and let his gaze drift behind the lenses toward Director Qi, fifth from the left on the opposite side.
Qi Shanshui caught the signal and finally spoke up, "Everyone, take my word for it. I believe the Old Chairman is a man of good fortune and will surely pull through safely."
"When that time comes, whatever was truly said between the Old Master and Mr. Shang and Mr. Wu, the truth of both accounts will be settled."
"Since what we are choosing today is only an 'acting chairman,' someone who can manage affairs in the short term is sufficient. As for who the true successor will be in the future, I trust the Old Chairman will have his own judgment."
"His vision is not something we need to worry about on his behalf."
Qi Shanshui was among the earliest partners to have joined alongside the old master Shang. He held a considerable share of stock and carried reasonably strong prestige and influence among the upper ranks.
The moment he finished speaking, a good number of people voiced their agreement.
Shang Yanxiao caught the brief exchange of glances between Qi Shanshui and Shang Qishun from just moments ago and understood which side the man had chosen.
There was no more time to stall.
The instant that thought took shape in his mind, the phone in his pocket buzzed.
Buzz.
Shang Yanxiao quickly tapped it open. On the other end of the screen, Bai Xu sent a countdown as if reading his mind: three minutes.
Shang Yanxiao tightened his grip on the phone, and a quiet laugh escaped from his throat.
This little ancestor had finally come.
Shang Queyan caught that subtle sound and felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest, "Brother, what do we do now?"
If Qi Shanshui chose the first branch, there was no telling how many shareholders would follow his vote.
In the past, the third branch had quietly earned the support of quite a few shareholders. But ever since the accident, the first and second branches had spent no small effort keeping close to those shareholders and winning over their goodwill.
Now that Shang Yanxiao had reappeared, it had restored some confidence among a number of shareholders. But when it came down to share percentages in the vote, whether the third branch won or lost still rested on the decision of the shareholders.
Before he finished speaking, Qi Shanshui opened his mouth once more, "Everyone has surely seen for themselves the contributions and achievements each of the three has made for the company over the years. With that in mind, shall we go straight to the vote?"
Someone agreed, "Sure."
Qi Shanshui wrote his choice on the paper ballot that had been distributed early that morning, signed his name beneath it, and announced, "I, Qi, choose..."
Bang!
At that critical moment, the tightly shut door of the meeting room was shoved open with force.
"Apologies for the interruption!"
Qi Shanshui's answer caught in his throat. He couldn't help but look toward the unfamiliar figure at the doorway.
The newcomer wore a cream-white coat and appeared quite young. His fair, clean face gave off an immediate impression of gentleness and warmth.
In contrast, his presence carried a composure and steadiness that didn't match his age.
Standing now under the gaze of forty or fifty shareholders gathered in the meeting hall, his expression showed not the slightest trace of panic. There was even a faint, self-assured smile at the corner of his lips.
"Bai Xu?"
Shang Queyan couldn't hide his surprise, his eyes darting back and forth between the doorway and the person beside him, "Brother, didn't you say he couldn't come?"
The cold stillness that had settled in Shang Yanxiao's eyes dissolved in an instant. He smiled, "He had to come."
He had been deliberately stalling for time earlier precisely to wait for Bai Xu. Now that he had arrived, he had brought with him the third branch's new path forward.
Shang Queyan asked sharply, "You two had a backup plan?"
Before he finished speaking, Shang Songming called out loudly, "Bai Xu? What is an outsider doing here? Is a shareholders meeting a place you can just walk into?"
"Where are the secretaries posted outside? How are they doing their job?"
"Second Young Master, what's the rush?"
The moment Bai Xu opened his mouth, his words were the kind that could infuriate someone to death without consequence, "Haven't seen you in months, and you still haven't improved at all. You haven't been removed from the shareholders list yet?"
"You..."
Shang Songming was so furious he was nearly grinding his back teeth to dust.
First Shang Yanxiao, and now Bai Xu. The two of them stood in the doorway in exactly the same manner, both clearly intent on provoking him.
They truly were cut from the same cloth.
Shang Songming found his voice again, "Bai Xu, stop putting on an act! I've figured it out now. You people from the third branch are deliberately trying to stop this shareholders meeting from going forward today!"
Bai Xu paid absolutely no attention to his noise and dismissed him entirely.
"Everyone, my apologies for barging in like this. But the reason I am here..."
Bai Xu met Shang Yanxiao's gaze and smiled, "Is because, following the Third Young Master's prior instructions, I have brought along another important shareholder to see everyone."
A curious shareholder asked, "Who?"
Bai Xu stepped to the side and pushed open the other half of the tightly shut meeting room door, then raised his voice for all to hear, "Old Madam, please come in."
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