Cornered by the CEO

Chapter 391: Let Public Opinion Hang Him

Within the next two days, news spread amongst the shareholders and anyone who was interested in Yun Corporation shares. The old foggies were buzzing with panic, thinking their sweet dividend money wouldn't be paid this financial year. Maybe it would grow worse and worse as time passes. Would they have to pull out of their investment, but at this rate, no big investor would want to put money into a sinking ship.

But in none of these discussions did Qian Meng's name come up. She was altogether forgotten by the wealthy old investors who had the same outlook on female business owners as Qian Meng's father did.

She was insignificant in the turn of events.

This was what Qian Meng called taking advantage of chauvinism. Though it was detrimental to society and women in general, sometimes, using their power against them was the best way to show them how women could make their world go up in flames.

Silently destroying everything they thought they worked hard for.

It was after lunch hour when Yun Sui Bo's young, female secretary entered his office in a panic.

"President Yun, there is a problem," she said, her voice low. The older gentleman was sitting behind the desk looking at his cellphone. The secretary presumed that he was playing some childish game instead of working.

Yun Sui Bo was known to give away most of the work to others, only remaining when something drastic happened to panic and scream at people.

The secretary was prepared to get an earful at this point, as well.

"What is it?" he asked in a bored voice. How he could remain calm and watch his business go down the drain was unknown. Maybe he was confident that he would get everything he desired by playing dirty or plotting. Or maybe, he thought the universe would cater to everything he wanted.

"I just received a call from one of the shareholders asking if the company was in financial trouble." She was meek as she spoke.

Yun Sui Bo looked up immediately, his eyes widening in shock. "Why would he ask that?" he yelled, a streak of fear going through him.

"Apparently, everyone is talking about it. The shareholders had decided not to spread the news, but someone mustered up the courage to ask me directly," she said.

Yun Sui Bo thought about the situation. "If everyone was stopping this rumor from spreading, why did it reach my ear?" he asked. "Someone clearly wanted me to know."

The secretary gulped. "President, rumors are always like this. People keep saying they don't want it to spread, but it takes a form of its own. How do I respond?" she asked, getting to the main point.

He banged his hand on the desk. "Tell him there is no such thing!" He looked at her with thinly veiled irritation. "Can't you even do this much?"

She hung her head and muttered, "Yes, President. I will do that." She knew for a fact that this would only make things worse. If a secretary responded to such a rumor instead of the President, it would make people even more suspicious.

This bit, Qian Meng had anticipated correctly. Her father always barked whenever there was something he had to say, but when it was time to stand up and take responsibility, he always shrunk away, letting others do the work.

And in proper Yun Sui Bo fashion, he raged in his office in isolation as his secretary scurried out and called the shareholder back. She mustered up all her eloquence and told the man not to be worried about the false rumors circulating in the investor circle.

Instead of quenching curiosity, it fired up the theories even further.

People were texting Qian Meng about the situation as well, suddenly remembering that she was the daughter of the man in question.

[I have not heard of this before. Please give me some time to look into the matter.]

This is what she told everyone.

She was sipping on her iced tea that morning when she responded to the final text she had received.

"Your phone has been going off for a while. Progress?" Mo Qingchen asked with a smile. He had heard the things going around the rumor mill, knowing well that it was his wife's handiwork.

"Yes. I did make some long-term loss on the apartment property, but Mr. Gu paid it off by running his mouth to everything he knows and their neighbors." She chuckled. "And my father evaded the questions so people are going crazy, asking me."

Qingchen pulled his hand away from the steering wheel and patted her head. "You calculated very well," he complimented.

"I have to make use of the torturous sixteen years I lived in his house, don't I?" she scoffed. "It hurts worse when the person who lived under the same roof as you become your enemy. Because they know your digestive schedule and little quirks," she said, pleased with herself.

"Has anyone told you how charming you are when you are acting evil?" he said, glancing at her with humor.

"You have. On several occasions," she said boldly. "Doesn't it make you hot to see me like this?" she challenged.

He shrugged. "Can't deny that allegation," he was quick to admit.

"What is the next course of action?" he asked.

"Hounding my father into a corner," she said calmly before taking another leisurely sip of her drink. "I already initiated the bomb."

"And what is that?" he asked.

"I pretended to be ignorant of any issues in Yun Corporation. Because Mr. Yun is evading questions, people will start suspecting that he is the one creating all the trouble and keeping it under wraps. No one else will be implicated right now," she commented.

"It keeps you safe from the rumors and makes them have confidence in you. You are the one looking into the matter and trying to take responsibility even though you have very little to do with the company. No more than the other clueless shareholders," he said out loud. "It's a good move," he acknowledged.

"I have it all planned." She tapped on her head.

She would not pick up the knife to stab her enemy. No. She would only open holes in the reputation of Yun Sui Bo. Then, she would stand aside and let public opinion hang him.

There was nothing more powerful to bring down big organizations. Public opinion and cancel culture could be insufficient in most cases, but for big corporations who weren't clean, it was a death sentence waiting to happen.