I still looked at Chen Jingming very “calmly,” but Fangyuan asked in great shock, “Manager Chen, are you saying that the senior management of Zhuomei plans to target their newly-appointed CEO?”
Chen Jingming nodded firmly and said, “Yes. Zhuomei is a family business—you might have heard something about it.”
Both I and Fangyuan nodded. If it weren’t a family business, how could Mi Cai become the CEO of such a large shopping mall at the age of 26? We just didn’t know what position Mi Cai held within the family.
Chen Jingming continued, “More than two years ago, Zhuomei’s founder, Mi Zhongxin, was on his way to attend a business meeting in Shanghai when his car crashed severely into a broken-down truck that had no warning signs on the highway, causing his unfortunate death. Since then, Zhuomei has been managed by his younger brother, Mi Zhongde. However, Mi Zhongxin also had a daughter who has been studying in the United States for several years and only recently returned to China. She is the newly-appointed CEO of Zhuomei—Betsy (Mi Cai)…”
Before Chen Jingming could finish speaking, I interrupted and asked, “Manager, are you saying that the one planning to target Betsy is her own uncle, Mi Zhongde?”
Chen Jingming smiled and said, “It’s obviously him. For these past few years, he has been the nominal chairman of Zhuomei. Now that Mi Zhongxin’s daughter has returned, his position is certainly going to be threatened. Once someone has been in a high position for a long time, it’s very difficult to step down.”
I angrily said, “This old bastard is too ruthless! Zhuomei originally belonged to his elder brother. Now his brother died in an accident, leaving behind only this orphan. As her uncle, how could he bear to do this to her?”
Chen Jingming waved his hand and said seriously, “These kinds of internal conflicts within family businesses are not something we outsiders should be concerned about. What we need to do now is to seize this opportunity tightly, suppress Zhuomei, and become the leading department store company in Suzhou.”
Fangyuan nodded in agreement, while I remained silent, yet a sense of uncontrollable anger surged inside me.
Chen Jingming continued, “This morning, Li, the manager from Zhuomei’s leasing department, contacted me to discuss this matter. Next month, two international top brands’ lease contracts with Zhuomei will expire. Mi Zhongde has already instructed Manager Li from the leasing department to use the excuse of dissatisfaction with the current CEO’s management style to take these two top brands and defect to our Baoli Group. Then, using this as a reason, he will unite the board of directors to target Mi Zhongxin’s daughter, forcing her to transfer her shares in Zhuomei and thereby achieving complete control over the company.”
I was shocked again and exclaimed, “That’s too ruthless! He’s willing to cut off his own arm just to seize full ownership of Zhuomei!”
Indeed, this shocked me. If the leasing manager from Zhuomei really brought two international top brands to our Baoli Group, then Baoli would reach a total of ten international top brands. With this shift in strength, Zhuomei would only be left with nine. Everyone knows how important international top brands are to a top-tier department store. Even if Mi Zhongde really obtained full ownership of Zhuomei, the cost would be enormous!
Chen Jingming smiled and said, “Mi Zhongde must resort to such ruthless measures to completely seize full ownership of Zhuomei. There are many of Mi Zhongxin’s former confidants within the board of directors, and they strongly support Mi Zhongxin’s daughter. If Manager Li defects to our Baoli Group with two international top brands, citing dissatisfaction with the current CEO’s management style, this will be considered a serious management failure. Such a management failure has already affected the foundation of the company. Those who originally supported her will also waver. At that time, the board of directors will collectively exert pressure, and Mi Cai will find it hard not to hand over management and ownership.”
Fangyuan, who had been silent until now, finally asked Chen Jingming, “Do you think Mi Zhongde isn’t afraid that Zhuomei will be severely weakened by this move, allowing Baoli to surpass it completely?”
I decided to answer for Chen Jingming, “Even if Baoli surpasses Zhuomei, Mi Zhongde will still be the highest leader of Zhuomei. If Mi Zhongxin’s daughter remains at Zhuomei, he will eventually be replaced. A leader who has been in a high position for many years, accustomed to being above others, how could he bear to live under someone else’s shadow?”
Chen Jingming nodded in agreement and continued, “That’s how human nature is. Therefore, this is a rare opportunity for our Baoli Group. However, Mi Zhongde is not a simple person. I’ve heard that recently there will be an injection of overseas funds into Zhuomei. Their Nanjing and Shanghai stores are already in the planning stages. Their strategic base is no longer just Suzhou but a much larger market. Moreover, even if they lose two top brands, with the popularity Zhuomei has built up in Suzhou over the years, it won’t collapse easily. Mi Zhongde has some hidden cards, which is why he dares to do this. As long as he successfully gets rid of Mi Zhongxin’s daughter this time, he will firmly secure his position. Compared to that, the risk is worth taking!”
Fangyuan and I both fell into silence. Even though we had worked for many years, the war and cruelty of the business world had never been so nakedly presented to us like today. At that moment, I realized that there are indeed rules in the workplace or the business world. People at the bottom like us strive for advancement through hard work and the ability to seize opportunities, while those at the top play with tactics—tactics that filled me with genuine fear. The ugliness of human nature is multiplied under such tactics.
At this point, Chen Jingming finally brewed himself a cup of tea. After taking a sip, he said to Fangyuan and me, “You two have been my subordinates for several years and are the ones I plan to cultivate as key personnel. Especially you, Fangyuan, I see potential in you. That’s why I’m sharing this matter, which is considered the company’s highest secret, with you. My purpose is to hope that you can seize this opportunity to create value for the company while also achieving your own breakthroughs. Both of you must perform well in this promotional plan. Do you understand?”
Fangyuan nodded solemnly, while I remained immersed in some emotion, somewhat dazed.
“Zhao Yang, what about you?” Chen Jingming looked at me and asked again.
Fangyuan nudged me, and I finally came to my senses and said to Chen Jingming, “I understand too.”
…
After leaving Chen Jingming’s office, Fangyuan immediately dragged me to the staff lounge and lowered his voice to ask me, “Zhao Yang, does Chen Jingming know about your relationship with Mi Cai?”
“Of course not. If he knew I knew Mi Cai, would he still tell me all this?”
Fangyuan nodded and then said seriously, “You absolutely cannot let this matter reach Mi Cai under any circumstances. Regardless of your career prospects, just for the sake of Chen Jingming’s trust in us, you can’t let Mi Cai know. Do you understand?”
I didn’t respond to Fangyuan and remained somewhat dazed.
“Zhao Yang, you have to know what’s important here. This isn’t a joke. Even if Mi Cai is really your girlfriend, you must keep this matter completely secret and not let a single word slip out.”
Suddenly, I got angry and glared at Fangyuan, shouting, “Are you even human? Can’t you try to see this from Mi Cai’s perspective? She’s already lost her father, and now she’s a lonely woman being schemed against by her own uncle, who’s trying to take away her father’s business. How painful must she feel!”
Fangyuan tightly covered my mouth and still whispered nervously, “You have to be quieter. This is a power struggle among high-level people, not something we small fry can get involved in. This matter concerns not only the company’s interests but also Chen Jingming’s personal career prospects, and even ours. If you tell someone, how can you face Chen Jingming’s trust?”
I finally fell silent. Indeed, Chen Jingming had been kind to both Fangyuan and me. If this matter indeed ended with Zhuomei’s leasing manager defecting to Baoli with two top brands, Chen Jingming would be the biggest contributor and at least be promoted to the position of vice president by the company’s upper management. Fangyuan and I, as his close aides, would also benefit. This matter already involved the fate of too many people…
Fangyuan then said to me while I remained silent, “Zhao Yang, you must promise me that you’ll pretend you never heard about this today, okay?”
I remained silent for a long time, as if suddenly standing at the most difficult crossroads of my life…
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