Chapter 196 – Contending in Business or Love

historical

Some of the shareholders switched allegiance and decided to support Leng Xiyao after hearing what she had to say. With the addition of the older shareholders who were already on her side, she had quite a few supporters now.

The votes were finally being counted, and no one had expected it to be a tie.

Just as everyone started discussing the results and on how the tiebreaker should be held, Leng Haoyun suddenly stood up.

What he said next shocked everyone.

“I’m willing to give up the position of Chairman and vote for Miss An!”

His words were like a sudden disturbance to a calm body of water, instantly creating huge ripples on its surface.

Nobody could believe their ears!

They thought that Leng Haoyun had been biding his time for the past five years before finally deciding to strike at the most opportune moment, but it came as a surprise to all of them that he wanted to give it up when he was already so close to taking over the entire An Group!

Bewilderment appeared on everyone’s faces, while Leng Xiyao smirked.

She shot Leng Haoyun a cold, indifferent gaze.

“I’ll have to thank President Leng then!”

She then looked around at the shareholders.

“Since the results are out, I’ll be taking over as Chairman. I’m willing to hold a re-election if Grandpa wakes up. I’ll be coming into the company tomorrow to have a look at everything, and I hope for the best for our group!”

Leng Xiyao turned to leave immediately after speaking.

Leng Haoyun followed right behind her.

Instead of walking towards the elevator, Leng Xiyao headed towards the stairs, as if she had already expected for him to do that.

She did not want to become a laughing stock in front of everyone.

She was determined to portray and maintain her image of a strong and resolute leader in order to convince all the shareholders that she was the right choice!

I think I could’ve done better if I drove here instead of hailing a cab. This was a miscalculation on my part. Wouldn’t I become the joke if I keep sitting in cabs as the Chairman!

A tiny smirk formed on her lips as she continued in an unhurried manner towards the stairs.

Just as she was about to take the first step down, a hoarse, emotional voice spoke.

“Yao!”

Leng Xiyao stopped in her tracks for a moment before continuing on her way.

Leng Haoyun was suddenly desperate.

“Yao!”

Leng Xiyao did not stop at all this time. She continued walking down the stairs as if she did not hear a thing.

Leng Haoyun’s eyes narrowed. She’s not going to stop.

He then grabbed the handrail as a pivot and jumped to the bottom of the stairs.

In the next second, Leng Xiyao saw him standing right in front of her. His expression was a combination of guilt, joy and resignation.

“Yao...”

Seeing no other possible escape to this encounter, Leng Xiyao spoke to him coldly.

“President Leng must have gotten the wrong person. I’m Anne, not Yao. Please make way!”

Leng Haoyun was stupefied.?She wouldn’t treat me like this if she didn’t know me.

If she really didn’t know me, she would probably just be hostile towards me.

But I can feel such a strong sense of resentment directed at me!

He knew that she blamed him for everything, but to him, the heavens had been extraordinarily merciful by allowing her to live. He did not ask for anything else, but he could not stand the fact that she practically ignored his existence. The pain he felt for the past five years was already a great punishment.

He could not bear to lose her again.

Leng Haoyun suddenly reached out to touch Leng Xiyao on her shoulder.

“Yao, listen to me. I didn’t do it on purpose at the time, I didn’t know that you were...”

Leng Xiyao cut him off before he could finish, her voice laced with anger.

“I don’t care about you, but please address me as Miss An, President Leng. Stop telling me about things that I don’t know about!”

She continued after taking a breath. “I don’t wish to listen to that. Do you understand, President Leng?”

Disappointment showed on Leng Haoyun’s face. Will she never forgive me?

He did not want to give up so easily, but her attitude greatly dismayed him.

“Yao, please listen to my explanation. I really can’t live without you. I didn’t know you were pregnant then...”

Leng Xiyao’s calm facade turned into ire instantly.

“Can’t live without me.. then why didn’t you do anything when I tried to make you stay? Why didn’t you listen to my explanation then? Things wouldn’t have turned out this way otherwise. Pregnant? That child and the Leng Xiyao of the past have already died. I’ll say this again. Anne is the one who’s alive now, and as for that fool who loved you, Leng Xiyao, she was shot and killed at your wedding. Do you understand?”

Leng Haoyun staggered backwards at her words.

His lips paled.?Was Yao really dead?

She would never know that he had already lost the fight the moment she appeared before him!

Leng Xiyao glanced at him coldly. “If you couldn’t live without me, then you wouldn’t have tried to take over the An Group!”

What she just said was akin to landing a final blow on Leng Haoyun as he collapsed on the floor in shock.

Leng Xiyao took another look at the lifeless Leng Haoyun, who was now sitting in a daze on the stairs, before she continued her way downwards.

Leng Haoyun spoke slowly, his voice sounded like it was sapped of all hope and strength. She was the only one who could affect him so.

“Do you know that I’ve lost the very moment I saw you appear in the meeting room. Do you know that I did all this for you? Everything I’ve taken, it’s all yours. I’d fight anyone but you. If only I had known, if only I knew that you were Anne...”

Leng Haoyun gritted his teeth in self-mockery.

“There’s no room for regret now!”

Leng Xiyao paused at what he said.

If only she had known, she would never have fallen in love with him, and it would never have caused the tragedy five years ago. Her grandfather would not be lying in a coma now, nor would Selina be confined to a wheelchair because of her.

All of this happened because of her.

Leng Xiyao ran out of the stairwell towards the corridor. She did not know what she would do next if this man was right in front of her.

It had been five years, but his presence still affected her. Am I really an idiot, or did I just love him too deeply?

Leng Haoyun’s eyes drooped as he saw Leng Xiyao escape to the corridor.

After sitting there for a while, he stood up and made a call on his mobile phone.

“Look into someone for me, Anne, the young miss of the An Group. I want all the information about her life for the past five years, take note, I mean everything! Get it to me fast!”

Leng Haoyun then trudged downstairs after he ended the call.

Five years ago, he tried to protect her in his own way, but it ended up hurting her, and it also caused him to eventually lose her. He was not going to make the same mistake this time. Since she had appeared before him, he would cherish this opportunity and protect her well. He was not going to let her leave him once more.

....

When Leng Xiyao arrived in the office the next day, there was an unwelcome visitor waiting for her in her office.

Leng Haoyun sat on the sofa opposite her desk, still as a statue. He only looked up when Leng Xiyao opened the door.

Displeasure flickered across Leng Xiyao’s face.

“What are you doing here?”

Leng Haoyun stood up and looked at her calmly. He was no longer the emotional mess he was yesterday.

“To look for you!”

Leng Xiyao walked over to her desk and took a seat. “Fine. How can I help you, President Leng?”

Leng Haoyun gave a tiny smirk. “You addressed me as President Leng, so I’m naturally here to discuss some work matters with you. There’s a piece of land in A City which the government is eyeing, and they’re planning to build a large plaza there. The initial design plan is more or less ready, and The Unparalleled has already signed the construction deal on this. However, I’ve been thinking, as the second largest shareholder of An Group, I’ll have to make some contribution to the company as well. So, I’m thinking of handing this project over to the An Group. How about that?”

Leng Xiyao frowned and looked at him purposefully.

“You’re willing to hand such a big project over to the An Group?”

Leng Haoyun then asked, “What do you think?”

Leng Xiyao fell silent. She knew that the project looked extremely beneficial on the surface, but she was not aware of the nitty gritty details, so it may possibly be a trap!

“What? Afraid I would lie to you? Don’t forget that this would affect me as well. And since you’ve just joined the company, how are you going to convince everyone of your abilities if you don’t show some results?”

What Leng Haoyun said indeed made sense.

Leng Xiyao’s brows creased as she pondered over this.

“How about I let you know tomorrow?”

Leng Haoyun smiled. “Sure!”

Leng Xiyao immediately sent her subordinates to look into that project after he left.

On the other hand, Leng Haoyun received a call right after stepping out of the An Group’s building.

He learnt of a shocking piece of news.

Leng Xiyao had been living with a little boy for all these years, and he had seen that boy once. His name was An Yichen, the very same boy he saw at Pin Xiang Xuan yesterday.

There was a gnawing feeling in Leng Haoyun’s chest, but he refused to believe that there would be such coincidences in this world.

If that boy is four, then he.. might be his child. But if that’s the case, why didn’t she tell me about it and choose to raise the boy alone instead?

She must have gone through so much for the past few years. Leng Haoyun’s heart jolted as he recalled that the boy said he did not have a father. I need to see that boy now!