Qiao Group, the leading enterprise in Linjiang, holds significant influence in the north, with its business interests spread across the entire region.
Yet, within the entire Qiao family, no one except Qiao Chuxi possesses the same sharpness and acumen as the old patriarch. As a result, the entire Qiao Group has been gradually declining.
At the central headquarters of Qiao Group…
Qiao Chuxi sat quietly, feeling a chill at the current state of the family. Her uncle had secretly transferred a portion of the funds into his own account while the old patriarch was in a coma.
Afterward, her uncle fled the country with the money. Although Qiao Chuxi had frozen his assets, the resulting financial gap could not be easily filled.
When the entire Qiao family learned that the old patriarch had transferred all his shares to Qiao Chuxi, they were furious. If this were the case, they wouldn’t even receive a fraction of the inheritance.
“What do you mean by this? Why are you taking back the companies under my name? Did Grandfather give you the authority just to use it like this?”
Just as Qiao Chuxi furrowed her brows in frustration, the office door was forcefully pushed open. A heavily made-up woman appeared in her sight, and the two guards outside followed her in, looking apologetic toward Qiao Chuxi.
“You two can leave. This doesn’t concern you…”
With a slight gesture, Qiao Chuxi signaled the guards, who then stepped outside. The office was now left with only the two women.
“Why did you make them leave? Do you have something to hide? If you’re going to act like this, at least have the courage to face the consequences.”
“I asked them to leave simply to spare you further embarrassment. Don’t you realize barging into my office like this makes you look foolish? If you weren’t my cousin, I’d have already asked you to leave!”
Before the heavily made-up woman could finish speaking, Qiao Chuxi immediately cut in, showing no intention of sparing her any embarrassment.
“What did you say? You called me foolish?”
After a long moment of stunned silence, the woman finally reacted. Her already unpleasant expression darkened further. In her memory, this cousin had never been so assertive. Why did she now seem so confident?
“Foolish isn’t something I said—it’s your actions that speak for themselves.”
Qiao Chuxi made no effort to hide her disgust. Aside from being repulsed by the woman’s vulgar demeanor, she simply had no interest in her attitude whatsoever.
“You… you actually dared to insult me…”
Her body trembled slightly, and the woman seemed on the verge of exploding. As a member of the Qiao family, when had she ever been treated like this? Having her companies taken away and being humiliated further was something she couldn’t easily accept.
“You have five minutes. I’m busy. If you’re here just to cause trouble, I won’t hesitate to have security throw you out!”
Since taking over the Qiao family, Qiao Chuxi had become increasingly assertive. She knew only this approach could preserve the family’s business and prevent it from being undermined by people like her cousin. The Qiao Group was already showing signs of decline.
“Fine then, Qiao Chuxi. Don’t regret what you’ve done today…”
A cold glint flashed in the woman’s eyes, her expression turning sinister. Qiao Chuxi was driving her to the edge, although she still managed to maintain a basic level of composure.
“One minute has passed. You have four minutes left.”
Completely indifferent to the threat, Qiao Chuxi dismissed it easily. Not only was the woman powerless to do anything to her, but even if she dared to attempt something, Qiao Chuxi was confident she could act first and prevent any harm. She certainly didn’t want a repeat of the kidnapping incident.
“Why did you take back my companies? Don’t you know Grandfather had promised them to me? What right do you have…”
Finally, the woman chose to back down. Arguing with Qiao Chuxi here clearly offered no advantage. Rather than endure the humiliation, she decided it was better to get answers and leave.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you. All the shares under Grandfather’s name have been transferred to me. That includes all your companies.”
Shrugging her shoulders, Qiao Chuxi feigned sudden realization. Yet anyone could see through her act—she had never intended to return the companies to her cousin in the first place.
“Don’t go too far. Everyone knows the old man dotes on you, but can’t you leave others a little room to survive?”
“Survival? That’s something you have to fight for yourself. When someone kidnapped me before, why didn’t you think of giving me a chance to survive? If I hadn’t been lucky enough to escape, you wouldn’t even be here today!”
Gradually piecing things together, Qiao Chuxi had learned through other channels that this woman had once colluded with outsiders to damage her reputation. Naturally, she had no affection for her cousin.
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand a word.”
Hearing Qiao Chuxi’s words, the woman’s eyes shifted evasively. She had thought her actions were well hidden, but now Qiao Chuxi had directly exposed her secret, leaving her no choice but to feign ignorance.
“Better that you don’t understand. If I find any real evidence, you wouldn’t even be standing here talking to me. Got it? Your five minutes are up, and I’ve answered your questions. Be wise and leave now, or I’ll have security escort you out…”
At this point, Qiao Chuxi had no more patience to waste words. She wanted to send a clear message to those in the Qiao family who only cared about money.
“It’s better to leave some room for others. Linjiang doesn’t belong to you alone, Qiao Chuxi.”
“Security!” Seeing the woman still lingering in place, Qiao Chuxi shouted before she could finish speaking. The two guards immediately walked in.
“Escort this woman out. I’ll take responsibility for any consequences.”
A faint sneer crossed her lips as Qiao Chuxi spoke with unquestionable authority, causing the two guards to involuntarily stiffen. They had never seen her this angry before—clearly, she was furious.
“I don’t need your help. I know how to leave…”
Shaking off one of the guards, the woman’s eyes flashed with coldness as she turned and walked toward the door. Clearly, she wasn’t willing to accept this change. From being a woman who owned several companies to becoming completely powerless—no one could easily accept such a transformation…
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