Ch 26: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Huo Siming wanted to sell off everything he could from the Huo Corporation without drawing attention. The most feasible way was to leak corporate secrets and let competitors conveniently snatch up projects. That way, he could simply claim incompetence and step down in shame.

From the beginning, he hadn’t wanted to be the acting CEO. It was the shareholders who strongly insisted, convinced that he was wholeheartedly dedicated to the company. No one would suspect his true intentions.

To achieve his goal, Huo Siming activated the company’s internal “moles.” Since Yang An, his assistant, was constantly by his side, there were many tasks he couldn’t handle personally. Instead, he involved two shareholders, using them to relay messages or take action on his behalf.

Finally, everything was in place. Huo Siming organized a bidding conference, claiming the company had too many projects and needed to outsource a large new overseas project they had recently secured. The shareholders initially opposed the idea, but Huo Siming admitted he wasn’t as capable as Huo Siheng and feared mishandling the project. Shareholders surnamed Li and Liu supported his reasoning, and the decision to outsource was ultimately approved.

This was the Huo Corporation’s most critical project at the time. If it succeeded, the company would further solidify its position at the top. If it failed, the repercussions would be widespread, leading to huge losses and the loss of its status as the wealthiest enterprise. No one wanted to take responsibility, so as acting CEO, Huo Siming held significant authority in this matter.

The bidding conference was a lively event. After all, this was a major project the Huo family had worked hard to secure—who wouldn’t want a piece of it? Most attendees were familiar faces, representatives from major corporations. Only two or three individuals were unfamiliar, and everyone assumed they were there to observe and gain experience.

The project was massive, so Huo Siming split it into multiple segments, outsourcing each to different companies. This ensured that everyone got a share they could handle, spreading the profits around.

The attendees greeted Huo Siming warmly. Compared to his brother, Huo Siming received a noticeably more enthusiastic and friendly reception, even from competitors of the Huo family.

Yang An whispered to him, “Second Young Master, those individuals are our competitors. Shouldn’t we consider this carefully? If they win the bid, they might threaten the Huo family’s position in the industry.”

Some nearby shareholders nodded in agreement and were about to offer advice when Huo Siming smiled and replied, “Assistant Yang, the Huo family’s position isn’t so easily shaken. In business, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Who’s to say we can’t become business partners with them in the future? Don’t you agree?”

Partners with competitors? What kind of business philosophy was that? Without shared enemies, the Huo family could only stay on top by seizing every major project. Handing one over to competitors seemed akin to ceding their throne.

Despite their reservations, a few shareholders continued to voice their concerns. Huo Siming readily agreed with them on the surface but then pointed to a few of the unfamiliar bidders. “Although these companies aren’t very large, their credentials are solid. If they win, they’ll become our genuine partners. Bringing in new forces will increase the Huo Corporation’s influence in the business world.”

Yang An asked, “Second Young Master, wouldn’t it be better to collaborate with them directly?”

Huo Siming, though annoyed, maintained his composure and smiled. “It’s not the same. The level of commitment is different.”

The shareholders began to grow uneasy. It seemed that this second young master might not be up to the task. With Huo Siheng out of commission, the Huo Corporation was a leaderless dragon, and now with someone seemingly incompetent at the helm, the risks were growing. In hindsight, they felt they should have suggested hiring a professional manager instead. But it was too late for regrets. All they could do was wait until the bidding was over and then discuss the next steps with Madam Huo.

At that moment, Shen Yunrui approached with her family and greeted Huo Siming. She glanced at Yang An and remarked with a smile, “Assistant Yang, you should remember your place. An assistant’s job is to assist the CEO, not to question his decisions.”

Her sudden attempt to defend Huo Siming was an obvious move to get closer to him. But Huo Siming wanted nothing to do with her. His first instinct was to check if Lin Huaizhi was around, fearing another scene. Without hesitation, he said, “Mrs. Lin, the bidding conference is about to begin. Please take your seats.”

Shen Yunrui’s smile froze. She hadn’t expected Huo Siming to embarrass her like this. Taking a deep breath, she introduced her father, Shen Guobang, and her mother to Huo Siming. “Our family came to join in on the fun today. Kevin, I hope you’ll take good care of us.”

Frowning slightly, Huo Siming responded formally, “Mrs. Lin, this bidding conference is conducted with absolute fairness and impartiality.”

Shen Yunrui quickly added, “Of course, but since our families are in-laws, our relationship is closer than most. Even if we don’t win a bid, surely you can throw us a little benefit afterward, right?”

She had successfully extracted favors from Huo Siming twice before, which had only fueled her ambition. The Huo family was a massive entity that had lasted long without going bankrupt in her previous life, only declining gradually. She figured it was only logical to take advantage of them while they were still strong.

She even regretted not marrying into the Huo family herself. If she had managed to become acting CEO, she could have gotten even more out of them. But she quickly dismissed the thought, knowing it wasn’t a realistic scenario.

Huo Siming, who was eager to wrap things up and leave, didn’t want to waste any more time on her. With a perfunctory smile, he said, “We’ll see. If there’s an opportunity, we’ll definitely collaborate.”

He glanced at his watch and said it was about time, then left to make preparations. The Shen family naturally returned to their seats. Madam Shen asked, “You didn’t tell Huaizhi about coming here to bid? If he finds out, he’ll be upset again. What’s going on with you two?”

Shen Yunrui’s expression darkened. “If he can’t help, fine, but he keeps dragging me down! His family of leeches saw that I’ve made money recently and came asking me to buy them houses and cars, costing me a fortune. And yet, they still don’t appreciate me. I’ve had enough!

I’m done trying to please them. It’s time they learned who calls the shots in this family. Don’t try to talk me out of it.”

Madam Shen snapped, “I told you not to marry him back then. Now you regret it, don’t you?”

“Enough. I don’t want to talk about them.” Shen Yunrui exhaled heavily. The money she had earned so far came from leveraging insights from her past life, inspired by Shen Yunxuan, to seize opportunities. The Lin family had been no help at all and had only been a constant source of frustration. Thinking about it made her even more irritable.

In her last life, she hadn’t cared for business matters and knew little. Right now, her priority was to gain some benefits from Huo Siming. Once she secured the money and Huo Siming left the country, Lin Huaizhi would have nothing more to say.

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Everyone attending the bidding event was determined to win the project, and news traveled fast. Before the event began, many had already heard that Huo Siming favored a few unfamiliar faces, leaving them baffled and a bit restless.

A competitor of Huo Corporation remarked, “What’s the rush? Whether they win or not depends on the proposal and pricing—let’s see who has the real skills.”

The attendees exchanged glances, noticing that Huo Corporation’s competitors seemed unusually calm. This raised questions—did they already know they wouldn’t win, so they weren’t anxious?

Regardless of the speculation, the bidding began. Huo Siming stepped onto the stage and spoke, his tone heavy. “As everyone knows, my elder brother, Huo Siheng, has been unwell recently, and I am temporarily serving as acting president. I am doing my best, but this project is too large and too important. I’ve decided to open it up for collaboration with everyone.

This project is my brother’s brainchild, so no matter which companies win the bid, I hope the final product will be of the highest quality. Only then will I be able to live up to my brother’s vision.”

Over the past few days, rumors of Huo Siheng’s car accident had circulated, but specifics were scarce. Many attendees were shocked by Huo Siming’s somber words—was Huo Siheng in critical condition? Otherwise, why would Huo Siming look so pained?

Some sighed in admiration at the bond between the Huo brothers. When Huo Siming returned to the country, Huo Siheng had hosted a welcome banquet to introduce him to everyone and asked them to look after him. Now that Huo Siheng was in trouble, Huo Siming had stepped up to manage the company. Such brotherly affection was rare among wealthy families.

Huo Siming continued, “Now, I hereby declare the bidding session officially open—”

“Wait!”

The doors to the conference hall suddenly swung open, and a woman’s voice interrupted him.

Everyone turned to see that it was Shen Yunxuan. Huo Siming had been puzzled earlier—why hadn’t she objected to outsourcing such an important project? He hadn’t expected her to show up to cause a scene.

He sighed helplessly. “Sister-in-law, I know you don’t approve of me as acting president, but I’m doing this for Huo Corporation’s sake. Please don’t interfere… Don’t create trouble.”

People whispered in surprise, “So Mrs. Huo and Second Young Master Huo don’t get along?”

“You didn’t know? I heard they competed for the acting CEO position. Second Young Master Huo worked so hard, only to be met with constant suspicion.”

“No matter their private disputes, causing a scene at an event like this is inappropriate. Mrs. Huo is out of line.”

Hearing the murmurs, Shen Guobang and Madam Shen felt deeply embarrassed. Shen Guobang frowned and said, “Yunxuan, stop causing trouble. You don’t hold any position at Huo Corporation, and this isn’t the place for you. Go home immediately.”

Only then did Shen Yunxuan notice them. She replied coolly, “Mr. Shen, when I asked for your help back then, you demanded half of Huo Corporation and tried to coerce and threaten me and my mother-in-law. I told you then that I was cutting ties with the Shen family. Have you already forgotten?”

Everyone was stunned and turned to look at Shen Guobang. Who would have thought that after Huo Siheng’s accident, the Shen family would be the first to try to take advantage, shamelessly demanding half of Huo Corporation? Why didn’t he just rob a bank instead?

Shen Guobang’s face turned ashen. How dare Shen Yunxuan reveal this in front of everyone? The Shen family would become a laughingstock!

Huo Siming interjected, “Alright, sister-in-law, resolve your disputes privately. Let’s not waste everyone’s time.”

The crowd agreed—they weren’t here to listen to family drama. The bidding process was the priority, and some even urged Shen Yunxuan not to disrupt the event.

Since returning to the country, Huo Siming had cultivated a favorable public image for moments like this. A simple statement from him was enough to sway opinions against Shen Yunxuan. He was confident that whatever she said wouldn’t affect the outcome. Once the bidding was over, he would deliver a few key documents, secure the money, and leave. Victory was within reach. Excitement and pride swelled in him, and he looked at Shen Yunxuan with a hint of condescension, relishing the power he held over everyone.

However, Shen Yunxuan showed none of the defeat he had expected. Instead, she calmly asked, “Do you remember the clause in the contract? If Siheng wakes up, you are to immediately step down as acting CEO.”

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