Chapter 62: One Hundred Million to Turn the Tables

Outside the airport in City A, Cheng Zhiqiu took a deep breath of his hometown's air.

A familiar scent of exhaust fumes rushed into his nostrils, instantly energizing him.

"Nothing beats this authentic smell!"

He muttered with a sigh, then skillfully hailed a taxi and headed straight for the company.

As soon as he stepped through the company doors, Cheng Zhiqiu sensed that something was amiss.

The usually bubbly receptionist was drooping today like a frost-bitten eggplant.

Several employees who normally loved to chat and joke around in the pantry now all wore gloomy expressions.

*What's going on? Is the company suffering from mass constipation?*

Muttering to himself, Cheng Zhiqiu walked over to his desk.

"Brother Qiu, you're back!"

A young designer approached Cheng Zhiqiu with a crying expression upon seeing him.

"Xiao Li, what's wrong? Did the company go bankrupt?"

Cheng Zhiqiu teased.

Xiao Li said with a bitter face, "It's worse than bankruptcy! President Chen... President Chen she..."

"What about President Chen? Don't tell me she ran off with some young hunk and embezzled the company's funds?"

Cheng Zhiqiu asked casually, casually grabbing a handful of melon seeds from his desk to crack open.

"Brother Qiu, can you be serious for once!"

Xiao Li was on the verge of tears. What time was it, and Brother Qiu was still in the mood to joke?

"President Chen has been sidelined! Her older brother, Chen Jianguo, is trying to take over the company!"

"What the hell?"

Cheng Zhiqiu spat out a mouthful of melon seed shells all over the floor, almost choking himself.

"Chen Jianguo? That old bastard wants to buy our company? What kind of dirty trick is that old fogey plotting?"

"Chen Jianguo has always coveted our company's shares. This time, he actually..."

Xiao Li choked up and couldn't continue.

"Alright, alright, stop crying. Anyone who doesn't know better would think I did something terrible to you."

Cheng Zhiqiu rudely interrupted him, grabbing another handful of melon seeds and stuffing them into his mouth.

"Give me the details, what on earth is going on?"

Xiao Li sighed and explained:

"It's all because of that last project. President Chen misplaced her trust in Lao Liu from the marketing department, resulting in heavy project losses. Chen Jianguo used this as an excuse, teamed up with several other shareholders, and stripped President Chen of her power."

Only then did Cheng Zhiqiu understand. So much chaos had happened at the company during the few days he was away.

Damn it, if he had known, he wouldn't have gone to City A!

Now look at this—his beautiful boss was about to be bullied!

Cheng Zhiqiu spat out a melon seed shell, walked over to Chen Churan's office door, and knocked gently.

"Come in."

Cheng Zhiqiu pushed the door open and saw Chen Churan sitting behind her desk, her complexion looking rather haggard.

"President Chen..."

Upon seeing Cheng Zhiqiu, Chen Churan managed to squeeze out a smile.

"Zhiqiu, you're back."

"President Chen, I heard about..."

Cheng Zhiqiu trailed off, hesitating.

Chen Churan waved her hand, interrupting him.

"No need to say anything, I know it all. It was my fault for misjudging people, which led the company into such a predicament."

Watching Chen Churan put on a brave face, Cheng Zhiqiu thought to himself.

This woman usually appeared shrewd and capable, but deep down, she was also very fragile.

"President Chen, don't lose heart. Things haven't reached the point of no return yet."

Cheng Zhiqiu comforted her.

Chen Churan gave a bitter laugh.

"Zhiqiu, you're too naive. Chen Jianguo came prepared this time; he's wanted to swallow up my company for a long time."

"I won't let him get away with it!"

Cheng Zhiqiu slammed his hand down on the desk.

"President Chen, don't worry, I will definitely help you!"

Chen Churan's eyes reddened, and tears rolled down like pearls from a broken string.

She gently wiped them with the back of her hand, but the more she wiped, the more came, until she finally gave up and let the tears flow freely.

The pressure she had endured these past few days was simply too great.

Chen Jianguo was pressing harder with every step, and the employees inside the company were gripped by panic.

Chen Churan felt like a drowning person, on the verge of suffocation.

"Zhiqiu, you know what? Ever since I was a child, I've always been overshadowed by my brother. Every good thing went to him."

"My father is also biased towards sons, believing that girls are bound to marry out anyway—like poured-out water. I worked desperately hard just to prove that I was no worse than a man, and I finally managed to found this company to make the old man look at me with respect, but now..."

Chen Churan choked up and couldn't go on.

Looking at her, Cheng Zhiqiu wanted to offer a few comforting words, but the words stuck in his throat and he swallowed them back.

Such sentimental words were beyond him, and he found them too cheesy.

"Alright, alright, stop crying. Anyone who doesn't know better would think I'm bullying you."

Cheng Zhiqiu interrupted Chen Churan in a rough voice.

"Just tell me, do you want to make a comeback or not?"

Chen Churan was stunned, looking at him with tear-filled eyes.

A comeback?

Was that even possible?

Chen Jianguo now controlled the majority of the company's shares, and she no longer had any advantages.

"How can we make a comeback?"

Chen Churan's voice carried a hint of a tremble.

Cheng Zhiqiu grinned, revealing two small canine teeth.

"You don't need to worry about that, I have my own brilliant plans. You just need to tell me whether you want to take down that bastard brother of yours or not."

Chen Churan hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.

"I do!"

"Good!"

Cheng Zhiqiu slapped his thigh.

"Then it's settled! From today on, you are Cheng Zhiqiu's... partner!"

Chen Churan looked at Cheng Zhiqiu with some suspicion.

"Are... are you serious?"

Cheng Zhiqiu ruffled his hair, wearing a carefree and rebellious expression.

"When has Cheng Zhiqiu ever lied? Even if the Jade Emperor himself comes down, I'll help you reclaim your ground!"

"Of course, on the condition that you listen to me."

Chen Churan wiped away her tears and nodded vigorously.

"Alright, I'll listen to you. Tell me, what should I do?"

"President Chen, do you dare to place a big bet with me?"

Cheng Zhiqiu leaned back in the boss's chair, crossing one leg over the other with a cynical demeanor.

Chen Churan was taken aback.

A bet?

What did she have left to bet with?

Chen Churan gave a bitter smile, "Zhiqiu, I'm just an empty shell right now, what capital do I have left to bet with?"

Cheng Zhiqiu leaned in closer to her with a deliberately mysterious air, lowering his voice.

"Don't wear such a gloomy face, President Chen. Have you forgotten you still have one final trump card—money! Tell me how much cash flow you still have in hand, give me a number!"

Chen Churan hesitated.

With the company's capital chain breaking these past few days, she had begged everywhere, borrowing whatever she could. Right now, on the books, there was only...

Thinking of this, Chen Churan bit her lip and still quoted a figure.

"One hundred million... I can probably scrape together one hundred million."

"One hundred million?"

Cheng Zhiqiu suddenly jumped up, startling Chen Churan.

"President Chen, you hide your wealth pretty deep! I thought you were really about to go out on the streets to beg for food!"

Chen Churan forced out a smile.

"It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound. If I really went begging on the streets, my face alone would probably win me quite a bit of charity."

Cheng Zhiqiu burst out laughing and flopped back down into the boss's chair.

"President Chen, have a little confidence in yourself! You're a great beauty after all. Go begging on the streets? Way too degrading! Besides, running with me, Cheng Zhiqiu, when have I ever let you go hungry?"

Amused by his cynical attitude, Chen Churan laughed, and her mood relaxed considerably.

"You, you only know how to talk big. Tell me, how exactly do you want to bet?"

Cheng Zhiqiu stopped spinning his pen, his gaze suddenly turning sharp.

"Simple, that one hundred million of yours—I want all of it!"