“Mr. Su,” Lin Wen said, pulling me behind him and greeting Su Rushan.
Chen Zeyan stood up too.
Su Rushan’s gaze landed on Lin Wen holding my hand. He narrowed his eyes. “What’s this supposed to mean?”
“She’s my employee...” Lin Wen stammered.
I nodded, watching the show.
“Employee?” Su Rushan sneered. “Bosses and employees hold hands now?”
Chen Zeyan looked like he was watching a soap opera.
Lin Wen’s grip tightened. “That’s none of your business, Mr. Su.”
“You’ve got guts, kid.”
I patted Lin Wen’s shoulder. “I like your style.”
Lin Wen shot me a glare.
“None of my business?” Su Rushan glared, then pointed at me. “Get over here!”
I shrank back.
Lin Wen stepped in front of me. “What are you doing, Mr. Su?”
“You can’t control your employee, but you can’t stop me from disciplining my daughter!”
I shuffled over, head down.
Su Rushan grabbed my ear. “So bold! Holding hands with a man in front of me? You think you’re grown now?”
“Dad, dad, I was wrong!” I pleaded.
Behind me, Chen Zeyan and Lin Wen looked utterly shocked.
Lin Wen’s hands shook. “You’re the tycoon’s daughter?”
“Yeah,” I nodded. “Didn’t I tell you?”
Lin Wen: “Does that sound believable to you?”
“Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little...” I admitted.
“Had enough fun? Let’s go home.” Dad shot me a look. “How’s that acquisition going?”
Lin Wen froze. “What acquisition?”
“Lin Group, of course,” Dad said, eyeing Lin Wen. “We’re buying you out. Name your price.”
Lin Wen’s face fell.
He looked at me, hurt. “So you came to Lin just to buy us out?”
He looked so betrayed, I didn’t know what to say.
I tried to explain. “You can still be CEO....just as a division of Su Corp! You’ll have even more power”
“No!” Lin Wen snapped, glaring at me. “I’ll never sell”
He turned to my dad. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”
With that, he walked away.
I suddenly felt empty inside.
Back home, I flopped onto my bed.
I’d joined Lin with the intention of buying it out.
But Lin Wen had been so good to me.
Now I was torn.
What should I do? Life is so hard.
The company clearly meant a lot to Lin Wen. You could see it in everything he did.
I had to admit, I think I liked him a little.
I’m so difficult, yet he put up with me.
But I’m a businesswoman. I can’t just give up an acquisition because someone works hard.
Damn it, this man really got my attention.
Suddenly, my phone rang.
It was my best friend.
“Hey, dummy, I just closed a deal. Dinner’s on me.”
I was about to say no, but then thought, why not clear my head?
“Wait for me.”
At dinner, Yun Shu saw my gloomy face. “What’s up? You look down.”
I told her everything.
She sighed. “Big families, big problems.”
“Come on, drink up. Get drunk, forget your troubles.”
She poured me a drink.
After a few rounds, I staggered to the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water.
Instant clarity.
On my way back, I passed a private room and saw a familiar figure.
Inside, Lin Wen’s face was flushed, clearly drunk. The others were still pushing him to drink.
I frowned.
They signed the contract, and Lin Wen stumbled out.
He reeked of alcohol.
“...Su Nianci?” Lin Wen blinked at me, rubbing his temples. “I must be seeing things.”
I: ... “Not a hallucination.”
I grabbed his arm. “Deal done?”
“Yeah.” Lin Wen nodded. “See? I told you, Lin Group will never go bankrupt.”
Right, right.
I hauled him home.
Just like he did for me when I got drunk.
The next day, I talked with Lin Wen.
“So you knew Mr Liang. and that’s why the deal happened?” Lin Wen asked.
I shook my head. “No way, I don’t know everyone. He probably recognized me.”
“And Mr. Bai?”
“That one, yes. Met him at a banquet once.”
Lin Wen shook his head, half-amused, half-exasperated. “So, are you going back to Su Corp now? Still planning to buy me out?”
“Nope.” I lounged on the sofa. “I’m still an employee at Lin Group. Why would I leave?”
“You’re not leaving?” Lin Wen looked shocked and thrilled.
“Nope.” I said righteously. “I have to stay. If Lin Group ever tanks, I’ll be here to snatch it up.”
Lin Wen burst out laughing. “I doubt you’ll get the chance.”
“To keep you here, I’ll have to work even harder.”
Sunlight streamed through the window, landing on Lin Wen.
For a moment, he seemed to glow.
End
CEO Syndrome - Chapter 6
Comments
Post a Comment