It took us about twenty minutes before we finally arrived at the hotel where Zhuo Mei was hosting its celebratory wine reception. By then, the hotel’s parking lot was already filled with various luxury cars, mostly belonging to successful individuals attending the event. Based on certain car models and license plate numbers, I could identify the owners of many of these vehicles. Most of them were connected to Zhuo Mei in some way, such as regional presidents of luxury brands in mainland China. Judging from this, the scale of the reception would be quite significant.
With the guidance of staff members, Jane Wei and I reached the venue of the reception where we were greeted by Fang Yuan, the biggest contributor to this event, and Mi Lan, who was currently in charge of Zhuo Mei in place of Mi Cai.
Fang Yuan, holding a wine glass and smiling, said to Jane Wei and me, “I really appreciate the strong support from you two old friends. Without your resources, it would have been difficult for Zhuo Mei to achieve this sales miracle.”
Jane Wei and I took champagne glasses from a tray and clinked glasses with Fang Yuan before each of us took a sip. We told him not to be so polite, and Fang Yuan nodded and then turned to Mi Lan to continue greeting the arriving guests.
Among the guests attending the reception, many were people Jane Wei knew well, so she remained busy, greeting various high-profile individuals with a glass in her hand. As for me, I have never been good at mingling in such events, so I simply stood in a corner holding my glass, occasionally exchanging a few words with someone familiar who happened to pass by.
At that moment, my former boss, Chen Jingming, approached me with a glass of wine. I greeted him first, saying, “Good evening, Mr. Chen.”
He smiled and asked, “Why are you standing here alone? This is a reception where everyone is busy networking and expanding their circle of contacts.”
I gave him a smile in response and said, “What do I, a former rock musician in a bar, have to talk about with these high-profile businesspeople?”
“You are already in this circle, so you should learn to adapt to its culture and rules.”
I raised my glass and clinked it with Chen Jingming’s, saying with a sigh, “You still have the habit of giving me advice!”
Chen Jingming shook his head and then smiled bitterly, saying, “You’re right; I had forgotten that you are now a capable individual who can make achievements in the business world. You don’t need my nagging anymore.”
“Mr. Chen, please don’t say that. In my heart, you will always be a respected former boss.”
Chen Jingming patted my shoulder and said, “Since I’m also alone and not particularly welcomed here today, let’s chat together and keep each other company.”
“My pleasure.”
While chatting with Chen Jingming, I suddenly spotted Mi Zhongde holding a wine glass and socializing with others in a different part of the venue. He was dressed formally today, wearing a business suit and even a tie.
A wave of inexplicable discomfort surged within me as I turned to ask Chen Jingming beside me, “Mr. Chen, why did Mi Zhongde come to this business reception?”
Chen Jingming looked toward Mi Zhongde and countered, “Shouldn’t he be here?”
“I just heard that since he stepped down from his position as chairman of Zhuo Mei, he hasn’t made any public appearances. So it’s a bit puzzling for him to attend this reception today.”
Chen Jingming took a long while before responding, “I don’t know much about that.”
I glanced again at Mi Zhongde and thought perhaps I was being overly sensitive. After all, this was the most successful event since he handed over Zhuo Mei to Mi Cai and Mi Lan. As an elder and one of the founders of Zhuo Mei, naturally he should come and show his support for the younger generation. It would be more unreasonable if he didn’t show up.
…
Time passed gradually, and the guests arrived one after another. As the current highest authority in Zhuo Mei domestically, Mi Lan began to deliver a speech on behalf of the entire company. Dressed in a red gown with a carefully made-up face, she stood on the podium. Even before she started speaking, the audience politely applauded.
Mi Lan gestured in thanks, adjusted the microphone to a suitable position, and began speaking, “First of all, on behalf of Zhuo Mei Group, I would like to thank all the guests for attending this appreciation wine reception. The entire group has devoted all its efforts to ensure the success of this event. Therefore, I would like to sincerely thank every employee who has contributed to this event. It is you who have created the sales miracle of Zhuo Mei on yesterday’s Christmas Day… thank you!”
A warm round of applause erupted from the audience…
Mi Lan continued, “Taking this opportunity, I would also like to specially thank someone… I believe everyone has already guessed who it is!… That’s right, it’s Mr. Fang Yuan, the executive vice president of Zhuo Mei. It was his painstaking planning and perfect execution of this event that led to the sales miracle of breaking the one hundred million yuan mark in a single day in Zhuo Mei’s history… Let’s thank him; Zhuo Mei’s history will surely remember his great achievements.”
The applause from the audience became even more enthusiastic. However, at this moment, I was unable to join the crowd in applauding Mi Lan’s emotionally charged words, nor was Chen Jingming beside me. He simply sipped his red wine, his gaze fixed on a floor lamp not far away, appearing quite disheartened.
As the applause gradually subsided, Mi Lan spoke again, “Zhuo Mei is the fruit of my predecessors’ labor, especially my father, who dedicated his entire youth to Zhuo Mei. However, after taking over, I have not been able to continue developing and expanding Zhuo Mei. Here, I also don’t want to hide too much. Our Zhuo Mei indeed encountered an unprecedented crisis because we were not cautious enough in selecting our investors. However, through this event, I have regained confidence and witnessed the unity of the entire group. I believe that this crisis caused by the bankruptcy of our investor can be overcome through our joint efforts, and Zhuo Mei will surely have a promising and broad future… This is the promise I make to you all at today’s celebration!”
Mi Lan’s speech ignited a surge of anger within me. I was almost unable to stop myself from rushing to her and questioning her: why she had completely omitted mentioning Mi Cai, who was currently in the United States, working tirelessly for Zhuo Mei’s listing and on the verge of a breakdown? Why had this event become solely her and Fang Yuan’s achievement? Why had she only emphasized her father’s dedication to Zhuo Mei without mentioning Mi Zhongxin, who had died in a car accident on the way to a meeting, while dealing with Zhuo Mei’s affairs?
My heart grew increasingly restless, and I was about to lose control when a cold hand held mine… Instinctively, I turned my head and saw Jane Wei standing beside me. She seemed to have seen through my thoughts and signaled me not to act impulsively.
Jane Wei pulled me aside and softly said to me, “Zhaoyang, don’t be so impulsive. a speech at a wine reception doesn’t represent anything… The internal struggle within Zhuo Mei has been going on for a long time. At this moment, it’s quite normal for Mi Lan to try to gain some capital in front of all the senior management of Zhuo Mei.”
“Damn it, is there any limit to how she can gain capital for herself?… She acts one way in front of Mi Cai and another behind her back.”
“But it’s useless for you to cause a scene now, right?… You need to understand that Chinese-style family businesses have always been like this, appearing united on the surface but not in heart.”
“Damn it…” I clenched my fists, striving to suppress the rising anger within me.
Jane Wei continued to comfort me, saying, “Don’t act impulsively. I believe a woman like Mi Cai will definitely have a backup plan, because there will always be factional struggles within a family-style group. Personally, I think as long as Mi Zhongde has truly stepped down from Zhuo Mei’s management, a small figure like Mi Lan won’t be able to stir up any significant trouble in front of Mi Cai… Today, just regard this woman’s speech as another thoughtless remark… Perhaps she herself hasn’t thought much about it, after all, she didn’t accuse Mi Cai of anything, she just claimed the credit for herself and Fang Yuan.”
I continued to struggle to calm my anger…
Jane Wei held my hand again, and feeling the coolness from her palm, my heart finally calmed down, and I remained silent…
I recalled that not long ago, the woman in red had warned me that there would definitely be a struggle within Zhuo Mei after ZH Investment withdrew its support, and the only one who could form a conflict with Mi Cai would be Mi Lan… However, what remains uncertain now is whether this struggle is being orchestrated by Mi Zhongde behind the scenes or if it’s Mi Lan’s own intention… If Mi Zhongde is indeed pulling the strings behind her, then human nature is truly as unpredictable as white clouds and gray dogs, terrifyingly capricious!
Fortunately, Mi Cai still has the woman in red supporting her. Once the internal power struggle within Zhuo Mei escalates into a capital battle, it would be difficult for any other hidden force to rival the woman in red. After all, the current Zhuo Mei is full of crises and an endless money pit. Without sufficient strength, no one would dare to get involved in Zhuo Mei’s murky waters. In the business world, power is always built upon capital, so Mi Cai, who controls the capital, must be safe.
…
The reception finally ended amidst my anger. When it was time to leave, I did not follow Jane Wei and the company’s senior management. Instead, I took a taxi to the train station and booked a train ticket back to Xuzhou for the day after tomorrow, as the next day would be China’s traditional Gregorian New Year, and also the wedding day of Li Xiaoyun. I had promised her that no matter how busy I was, I would make sure to attend her wedding.
Originally, I was also troubled because Roben and Wei Manwen’s wedding was also scheduled for the same day. However, their wedding was dramatically canceled. But if I had a choice, I would rather be troubled and wish for Roben and Wei Manwen to successfully get married. Because if Wei Manwen finally chooses that doctor in the small mountain village, I will completely fail to understand love and feel deeply sorrowful for Roben… He will surely go crazy!
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