Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eighteen: Came to the Rescue
Chapter 418: Chapter Four-Hundred and Eighteen: Came to the Rescue
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
One of the directors scoffed, “Then let’s ask Young Master Xi Cheng who was it that plotted against him. It couldn’t be that you were tricked by those shameless women you have on the side… right, Young Master Xi Cheng? It’s quite common for those of our status to flirt and have a little fun once in a while. We all get drawn to beautiful things, it’s inevitable—everyone can understand that, but to go as far as giving away all his assets to his love like Young Master Xi Cheng here… Isn’t that being a bit overly infatuated? You don’t plan to let your lady love have a stake in our corporation in exchange for those five companies, do you?”
“No! That’s not it…” Xi Cheng suddenly didn’t know what to say.
“The person who bought all five companies is a man called Chen Tao.” Shi Nian finally spoke up, unable to stand seeing Xi Cheng’s fumbling.
The meeting room went silent, the directors giving Shi Nian their full attention and allowing him to take the lead of the meeting. None of them showed him any disrespect. They could diss and vent their anger out on Xi Cheng all they want, but everyone knew Shi Nian was currently the Xi Corporation’s greatest life savior.
“There’s no point in investigating how Xi Cheng was tricked right now. The problem Xi Corporation has to face currently is that you guys dumped out five of your companies for no reason. You’ve got to give the public a reasonable explanation why. All of you here are core members of the Xi Corporation. As the saying goes, ‘don’t wash your dirty linen in public’—you can’t throw Xi Cheng to the wolves. This isn’t to protect Xi Cheng, but to keep the shareholders from panicking,” Shi Nian stated calmly.
Most of the directors nodded, and even those who aren’t of the Xi family had looks of approval.
Shi Nian continued, “I’ve talked to the Liang and Ye corporations. They’ll support Xi Corporation wholeheartedly as well. We can cooperate with your corporation in a few projects and announce them to the public one after another to boost the confidence of your shareholders and employees. Let’s strive to turn this situation around in as short a time as possible.”
The board members all straightened their backs, and everyone let out sighs of relief.
“What about the losses incurred from this incident? Who’s going to be responsible for that? It’ll be quite unfair for the corporation to bear responsibility over a human error like this!” Someone asked the pointed question.
Shi Nian glanced at Xi Cheng. Xi Cheng looked ashamed but only lowered his head and didn’t say anything. Shi Nian couldn’t help but sigh inwardly as he thought, ‘Everything’s as Ye Tang had predicted. Xi Cheng isn’t a reliable or responsible man.’
The Xi family members wanted to speak up, but there really was nothing they could say, so they glared at Xi Cheng with displeasure. Seeing as no one piped up, Shi Nian slowly uttered, “The losses this time—”
“Xi Cheng should be the one responsible for the losses this time!” A somewhat hoarse voice sounded as the conference room’s door opened. Everyone turned around to look at the newcomer.
“Mom!” Xi Cheng ran over in surprise. Yun Nan slowly pushed Han Yuan—who was sitting in a wheelchair—into the room. Han Yuan’s face seemed swollen and aged due to the effects of medication, but her austere appearance still had an indescribable stateliness.
Heedless of the pleasant surprise on his face, Han Yuan soundly slapped Xi Cheng. “Kneel!” Han Yuan thundered.
Yun Nan quickly leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Calm down. You can’t get too worked up.” Yun Nan’s words worked like a charm. Han Yuan immediately reined in her temper, but she still glared at the dumbfounded Xi Cheng.
Xi Cheng reflexively knelt down. “Mom, where’s Lin Yu?” he asked as he got on his knees. He didn’t feel awkward about kneeling to his mother, even before the sight of everyone here, because she was his mother and he was a filial son!
Han Yuan sighed and said to Yun Nan, “Look at him. Do you understand now why it’s so hard for me not to be angry? This is the useless son I nurtured with great care!”
Yun Nan gently placed her hand on Han Yuan’s shoulder and massaged it as a comforting gesture. No one could come up with any words of consolation to Han Yuan’s remark.
Directors of the surname Xi or not stood up and greeted Han Yuan respectfully. She nodded at everyone and stated, “My legs are frail so please pardon me for not being able to stand up and return your greetings.”
Everyone expressed that they were fine with it and that Madam Xi’s health came first. Han Yuan didn’t waste any time and cut straight to the chase. She declared, “This matter is Xi Cheng’s responsibility alone. All the losses should be borne by Xi Cheng himself!”
The entire place fell silent at her words.
“Mom…” Xi Cheng began but swallowed his words at the menacing look Han Yuan shot at him.
Han Yuan continued, “This is his mistake alone, there’s no reason to let the entire Xi Corporation bear the responsibility with him, nor can we shift the burden onto the Corporation’s board of directors, and we definitely can’t let our shareholders suffer losses. Therefore, the losses caused by the drop in our share prices will be deducted in its entirety from Xi Cheng’s personal wealth and assets. As those are insufficient to cover the whole sum, the remaining portion can be deducted from his future dividends until the full due amount is paid and not a single cent less!”
Han Yuan glowered at her son and added, “My son should be grateful for the wealth the Xi family ancestors have saved and accumulated for him! Otherwise, he would be spending the rest of his life in prison! I only ask everyone here to show mercy on the account that he is my son and a wayward descendant of the Xi family. Show mercy and don’t send him to prison!”
Everyone, including the directors who don’t have the surname Xi, never had any intention of sending Xi Cheng to prison, so they replied, “Madam, you’re overstating things, really.”
The atmosphere finally eased up.
“Then, what do we do about those five companies that were under Young Master Xi Cheng’s name?” One of the directors brought up the question that’d caused the Xi Corporation so much shame.