Chapter 13 This Is My Attitude
"Zhiyi, this was my fault." Xiao Yuan undid his tie with one hand. "These past years, most of my focus was on Xiao Capital. Because of my complete neglect, your interests suffered."
"Next I will reorganize Haohai from top to bottom. You'll fall under me. I will give you an answer you can accept." Xiao Yuan looked at me and said, "The shares I promised you can have the agreement drafted today. If that's the case, can you stay?"
I met his eyes across the long table. "Shen Xinrui liked my black hot search and you did nothing because of profit. You're holding me back now only because of profit too. In a company that only puts profit first, I could be replaced at any time. Staying here just chills a person to the bone."
Xiao Yuan's expression didn't change. I held his gaze for a long time.
After a while he smiled, that same lazy posture, his tone carrying a coaxing note. "Zhiyi, give Brother Yuan a little face. You can leave, but don't make it too ugly, all right? I just want an attitude, so I can do PR."
"You're looking at it now." A fine, dense sourness made me hurt and feel good at the same time. I said, "This is my attitude."
I heard a sharp intake of breath.
"I put most of my fortune into Spilt Water. Your father invested a lot too." Xiao Yuan rubbed his brow. "I don't want this dragged to both sides' parents."
The moment the words came out, Xie Kun covered his face.
He was using my dad to press me. Too bad he played the wrong piece.
I wasn't even that disappointed. I could have seen it coming.
"Fine. Go ahead," I said. "You think he has any right to say a word to me?"
Xie Kun leaned in to Xiao Yuan and said quietly, "She already fell out with her dad. Five years ago she got trapped with a sky-high penalty fee and her dad didn't even care. You cleaned it up for her. Don't you remember?"
Xiao Yuan looked startled. His brow lifted. He looked straight at me. "Why didn't I know—"
Why else. Xu Zhiyi couldn't shout it all over the streets that I had completely severed father-daughter ties with my dad.
"When I first debuted, he suppressed and banned me on every platform." I sneered. "I've clawed my way out now. You think he has any capital to control me?"
Xiao Yuan froze. The hand toying with his ring stopped right there.
From the look on his face, it seemed to me he had taken my father's shielding as the reason for the achievements I had gotten all these years.
The meeting room fell silent for the third time.
Xiao Yuan lowered his eyes. I didn't know how long it was before he lifted his head. His tone was thoroughly gentle. "All right. You can go. I won't take a penalty fee."
"Mr. Xiao!"
The whole conference hall boiled over. Xie Kun shouted, "Xiao Yuan, do you know what you're saying?"
I looked up, startled.
Xiao Yuan acted as if he hadn't heard. His eyes were only on me, but the words were for every employee. "Overtime tonight. Eight o'clock. Meeting room two. Replan Spilt Water. Dismissed."
The scene held for a few seconds. Employees packed up their laptops one after another and left.
In that huge meeting room, only he and I were left.
Xiao Yuan said, "These things. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Mr. Xiao, I looked for you so many times," I said. "Eight times out of ten you were hiding from me. The other two, you only said you didn't understand my career, and if something came up I should find Xie Kun."
Xiao Yuan stayed silent. He took a white brocade box out of his suit jacket.
"A gift I brought you from Gangcheng." His voice was a little low. "I thought this would be something you'd like."
"Mr. Xiao, when you returned the Concert ticket to me, I don't think I misread you."
I stood up and smiled at him. Inside, it felt like something chronic had been dug out of me alive, leaking cold wind, dripping blood.
It hurt. And it felt good.
My voice went hoarse. "Don't send anything anymore."