Chapter 703: A Slap!
The entire room fell silent in an instant.
No one expected that this girl, who seemed to lack her own opinions, would so resolutely defend an outsider—even against the objections of her mother and her maternal relatives.
Elder Li spoke up gravely, “Since Miss Bai has personally acknowledged it, I recognize Miss Liu’s status as a shareholder. According to the Chamber’s charter, as Bai Group is a core enterprise of the Chamber, the second-largest shareholder has the right to participate in Chamber affairs. Miss Liu, you may stay.”
With Elder Li’s approval, the other council members quickly voiced their agreement.
“Elder Li is right; Miss Liu is qualified to stay.”
“Since it’s Chairman Bai’s decision, we respect it.”
“Now we should properly discuss the chairman selection.”
“……..”
Liu Yutong sat in the main seat, looking at Bai Shisui with a flicker of approval in her eyes.
The girl still had some backbone after all—she could tell who genuinely had her interests at heart and stood on her side.
Vice Chairman Zeng Jin immediately seized the opportunity: “Chairman Liu keeps her capabilities well hidden; I must express my admiration. Chairman Bai had a discerning eye for talent. It seems Bai Group’s future is indeed promising.”
He directly switched to addressing her as “Chairman Liu,” a remarkably swift change in attitude that drew many sidelong glances.
Zhou Yan and the Zhou family members beside him had expressions that couldn’t get any uglier.
Truthfully, if not for those vicious-looking black-clad guards present, they absolutely wouldn’t have let this stand.
Liu Yutong’s lips curved into a faint smile—this was exactly the effect she wanted. Bai Shisui had to step forward herself to truly protect Bai Jingchen’s life’s work.
“Since everyone recognizes my status, let me say a few words. Regarding the Chamber chairman selection, I maintain my position: Miss Bai Shisui is Chairman Bai’s only daughter and the heir to Bai Group. She should serve as interim chairman.”
Zhou Yan once again stood to object: “Shuisui is too young! She has no capability to manage the Chamber!”
Liu Yutong: “Whether she has capability isn’t for you to decide! And you’re the least qualified person here to voice an opinion!”
Zhou Yan: “You…..”
Liu Yutong: “Shut up!”
“This matter is settled. Who’s in favor, who’s opposed?”
No one dared respond.
Liu Yutong’s dominance was plain for all to see, and with those vicious black-clad guards she’d brought, no one wanted to cross her.
“Good, since no one opposes, it’s passed.”
Liu Yutong didn’t give them time to hesitate, making an immediate decision: “From this moment, Miss Bai Shisui will serve as interim Chamber chairman, overseeing all Chamber affairs.”
Then she looked toward Zhou Meizhen: “Madam Bai, the following meeting no longer concerns you. It’s inconvenient for you to remain. Please excuse yourself for now.”
“You……you’re throwing me out?”
Zhou Meizhen stared at Liu Yutong in disbelief, then turned to her daughter: “Shuisui! You’re just going to stand there and watch her treat your mother this way?”
Although Bai Shisui didn’t understand why Liu Yutong was doing this, she knew her style—she never acted without purpose.
Suddenly sending her mother away must mean there was important information to be announced, something unsuitable for her mother to hear.
Having realized this, she hardened her heart: “Mother, please go rest. I have this handled, with Sister Yutong here, that’s enough.”
Yun Cheng walked to Zhou Meizhen’s side and made a polite gesture toward the door. Though courteous, it carried an air of undeniable force.
Zhou Meizhen looked at her daughter’s resolute profile, her heart turning to ash. She left the meeting room silently, escorted by Yun Cheng.
The door closed again, and the atmosphere grew even heavier.
Everyone guessed something significant was coming.
Liu Yutong once again became the absolute center of attention. She rapped the table lightly with one hand, drawing all eyes back to her.
“Good, the irrelevant parties have left. We can discuss proper business now.”
Her icy gaze locked once more onto Zhou Yan, who was feigning composure.
“Mr. Zhou, it’s time to settle accounts.”
Zhou Yan’s heart skipped a beat, a bad premonition rising: “What… what do you want now?”
“What do I want?”
Liu Yutong gave a light laugh: “Zhou Yan, you thought that with the Snakehead Gang destroyed, there’d be no proof? You thought your secret collusion with them to murder Chairman Bai could stay hidden forever?”
This statement detonated like a bombshell, throwing the room into an uproar once again!
“What? Zhou Yan colluded with the Snakehead Gang?”
“He killed Chairman Bai?”
“Is this real? That’s terrifying!”
“No wonder he’s in such a hurry to seize power—he was afraid of being exposed.”
“Chairman Bai treated his Zhou family so well, and he could commit such a betrayal!”
“……..”
Zeng Jin shot to his feet, looking at Zhou Yan: “Zhou Yan, is what Miss Liu said true? Did you really collude with the Snakehead Gang to murder Chairman Bai?”
Elder Li also stared at him in disbelief: “Zhou Yan, explain this to me!”
Cold sweat broke out on Zhou Yan’s face, his mind screaming that this was impossible!
On the surface, he shook his head frantically in denial: “No! I didn’t! Liu Yutong, you’re slandering me! You’re trying to frame me to seize control of Bai Group!”
Liu Yutong: “You say I’m framing you? Then tell me, who is Chen Ming?”
Chen Ming?
Zhou Yan’s body stiffened violently, his eyes instantly filling with panic.
“Chen Ming… I don’t know him!”
“You don’t know him?”
Liu Yutong smiled: “He’s your Zhou family’s nephew by marriage and the deputy director of Bai Group’s logistics department. You don’t know him?”
“How… how do you know this?” Zhou Yan’s voice was filled with terror.
“I know far more than you imagine.”
Liu Yutong’s tone was icy: “Chen Ming used multiple fake identities to contact the Snakehead Gang through middlemen, promising them benefits to eliminate Chairman Bai. Given the history between the Snakehead Gang and Chairman Bai, none of you would suspect collusion with the Zhou family. The plan was decent, but his technique for covering his tracks was too crude. I barely had to exert any effort to trace him.”
“After the Snakehead Gang was destroyed, I already sent people to capture him. Care to guess who he’ll implicate?”
“No! That’s not how it was!”
Zhou Yan was still struggling: “You’re lying! You’re… you’re framing me! Chen Ming’s gone mad! He must have been bought by you!”
“Bai Jingchen was my brother-in-law! Why would I harm him!”
“Evidence! Yes, where’s the evidence! If you have the guts, produce the evidence, or bring Chen Ming to confront me face to face!”
Liu Yutong snorted coldly: “Still trying to argue when you’re at death’s door!”
She didn’t actually have solid evidence either, but once Chen Ming was captured, everything would become clear.
But evidence wasn’t important to her. It was enough that she was certain the Zhou family was behind it.
“Shuisui, what happens next is for you to decide!”
Bai Shisui’s mind was buzzing, the world spinning around her.
She had guessed Liu Yutong would announce something major, otherwise she wouldn’t have sent her mother away.
She just hadn’t expected the truth to be this cruel!
Although Liu Yutong hadn’t presented any evidence, when she saw her uncle’s reaction, she knew it was likely true.
Her own uncle had murdered family for the inheritance?
How dare they!
At this moment, all eyes were on Bai Shisui.
This was her first decision as interim chair, her first test, or rather, a measure of how much she trusted Liu Yutong.
After all, Liu Yutong had accused the Zhou family of colluding with the Snakehead Gang to murder Chairman Bai without solid proof. Many still held doubts.
Thus, the choice fell to Bai Shisui.
Only she had the standing to judge the truth of this matter.
Bai Shisui gradually emerged from the depths of her agony. Though she wanted nothing more than to sleep and cry, when she thought of her father’s murder, she held back.
She suddenly remembered something her father had once told her: “Don’t trust your mother’s family too much. They’re not like us father and daughter.”
She hadn’t understood what he meant. They were her own flesh and blood.
Now, she understood.
Bai Shisui raised her eyes, cold hatred within them, and looked at Zhou Yan.
“Uncle, do you have anything to say?”
Zhou Yan: “Shuisui! Shuisui, listen to your uncle! This woman has ulterior motives! She wants to swallow our Bai family fortune! Don’t be fooled by her! You know how I’ve treated you, your mother, your father all these years! How could I harm my own family! You have to believe me!”
“Shut up!”
Bai Shisui suddenly exploded: “You’re not fit to mention my father!”
Zhou Yan: “You’d rather trust an outsider than your own uncle!”
The two other Zhou executives also wept bitter tears.
“That’s right! We watched you grow up!”
“Shuisui, you have to believe us!”
“…..”
“How can I believe you?”
Bai Shisui’s voice trembled: “My father taught me that you don’t judge people by what they say, but by what they do. You know what you’ve done. Still want to deny it?”
“I…” Zhou Yan indeed wanted to keep denying it.
Bai Shisui wouldn’t give him the chance: “As temporary head of Bai Group and interim chair of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, I hereby announce Zhou Yan’s immediate removal from all positions at Bai Group, and the freezing of all accounts and privileges under his name.”
“Simultaneously, I authorize Ms. Liu Yutong and her team to conduct a full investigation into my father’s murder.”
“Anyone who obstructs this investigation, regardless of status, will be treated as an accomplice!”
The room erupted in shock!
Everyone looked at this girl who seemed to have transformed overnight, faintly seeing Chairman Bai’s shadow in her.
But when they considered what she’d been through, it made sense.
Ordinary people in such circumstances had only two outcomes: either complete collapse and escape, or become strong and ruthless.
Clearly, Bai Shisui was stronger than they’d imagined.
Or rather, her hatred had taken absolute control!
Zhou Yan was struck by lightning, staggering backwards into his chair: “You… Bai Shisui! You dare! I’m your own uncle! Your mother won’t allow this!”
“I’ll explain to my mother.”
Bai Shisui’s face was expressionless. At this moment, she seemed to have shed all her naivety overnight, her eyes ice-cold: “As for you… Brother Yun Cheng.”
She looked at Yun Cheng, who had been guarding Liu Yutong.
Yun Cheng stepped forward: “Miss Bai, your orders?”
Bai Shuisui took a deep breath: “Brother Yun Cheng, please arrest them and handle them according to Wanlong Society’s methods!”
“Yes!”
“Seize them and execute summary punishment!”
Yun Cheng gestured, and a group of black-clad guards immediately poured in through the door, heading straight for Zhou Yan and the two Zhou family executives he’d brought, taking them into custody.
“What are you doing! Let me go! This is illegal detention! I’m calling the police! I’m getting a lawyer!” Zhou Yan struggled frantically, but it was futile. He was dragged out without any ability to resist.
Once outside the door, he completely lost control, cursing like a fishwife.
“Let me go! You bastards! Bai Shisui, you little bitch! You and that dead bastard father of yours are both traitors! Helping outsiders destroy your own family!”
“Liu Yutong! You demoness! You’re a scourge! You’ll die a horrible death! Your Wanlong Society is just a pack of bandits! Don’t think I don’t know your true nature! You’re a mafia! You’re not good people at all!”
“The mafia’s killing people! Kidnapping and unlawful detention in broad daylight! They’re lawless!”
“They treated me this way today, they’ll treat you this way tomorrow! Bai Shisui, you’ve invited a wolf into the house! You’ll regret this! The Bai family will be swallowed whole by this demoness, bones and all…….. Huh?”
Zhou Yan’s cursing abruptly stopped—not because he wanted to stop, but because he’d run into a wall… a human-shaped one.
It was Ji Yu.
Ji Yu had originally been dozing against the wall when Zhou Yan’s cursing woke him up. Especially when he heard the insults directed at the Young Mistress, his simple, still-sleepy face clouded with displeasure.
Thus, he blocked Zhou Yan’s path and asked in a deep, rumbling voice: “You… cursed the Young Mistress?”
Zhou Yan was nearly suffocating under the gaze of this terrifying giant at such close range, but he kept cursing stubbornly: “So what if I did? She’s a demoness! You’re all her running dogs! Freaks! You’re all lawless mafia…..”
Though Ji Yu’s mind was simple, he could tell this person was truly cursing the Young Mistress, and viciously at that.
He remembered Yun Cheng’s earlier words about learning to “execute evildoers on the spot”—meaning making evildoers receive punishment, but without actually sending them to accompany Great-grandmother.
Since he cursed the Young Mistress, that made him a bad person, right?
So could he directly let him see Great-grandmother?
As Ji Yu pondered this with his massive head, Zhou Yan kept cursing incessantly without pause.
Ji Yu looked at the face before him and suddenly felt annoyed—this was interrupting his thinking!
Like a fly buzzing in his ear, noisy and irritating.
So he instinctively raised his right hand, which was larger than an ordinary person’s head, and with a casual, dismissive motion, as if swatting a fly, he swung it toward Zhou Yan’s face.
Whoosh!
The gust of wind from his palm actually blew back the hair of the black-clad guard holding Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan’s pupils contracted in terror as he watched that massive hand cover his face.
SLAP!!!
A crisp, thunderous explosion rang through the corridor!
Zhou Yan’s head whipped to the side at a grotesque angle, his contorted expression instantly freezing and distorting. His cheekbone visibly caved in, his mouth skewed, several bloody teeth flying out with saliva….
His entire body flew sideways as if struck by a sledgehammer, slamming into the wall three or four meters away, then sliding down limply to the floor, motionless.
Both inside and outside the room, complete silence fell!
The two black-clad guards responsible for escorting Zhou Yan instinctively swallowed, looking at Ji Yu with awe.
That was brutal!
Ji Yu awkwardly lowered his head, looked at his palm, then at Zhou Yan collapsed in the distance, and muttered quietly: “Seems like… I used a bit too much strength?”
He scratched his head and asked the black-clad guard beside him uncertainly:
“He’s still breathing, right?”
Black-clad guard: “…..”