Chapter Fifty-Eight: An Unexpected Situation

She thought everything would end there, but unexpectedly, her phone kept ringing all through the afternoon. In the end, Qin Xue’er simply switched it off and slipped it into her pocket. The excitement that had been building was thoroughly ruined by these people; the two had a perfunctory meal and returned home in low spirits.

But just as they arrived at the company, Lin Zhendong rushed over to Qin Xue’er, panic written all over his face. “President Qin, something’s wrong! Someone is deliberately driving down our stock price. If we don’t act fast, I fear our company will soon be bought out!”

Hearing this, Qin Xue’er’s expression grew tense. She had only just taken over the company, and this sudden predicament left her flustered and unprepared. She followed Lin Zhendong to the department responsible for stock prices, where the staff were nearly overwhelmed with work, phones constantly ringing as they communicated with the outside world.

Xiao Ye, witnessing such a situation for the first time, relied on his experience to keep calm. He realized that someone must be plotting against them behind the scenes. And, as he suspected, it was likely the people from the Jianghai Business Alliance. He had prepared for a protracted battle, but hadn’t anticipated his opponent would act so swiftly.

Seeing Qin Xue’er’s helplessness, Xiao Ye went to her side, placed his arm around her shoulders, and spoke directly: “Don’t worry, I’m here. There’s no need to panic.”

Though his words were reassuring, Qin Xue’er could only nod faintly at that moment. After briefing her on what to do, Xiao Ye stepped outside and called Chi Long. “Investigate Jianghai Business Alliance’s corporate structure, as well as any vulnerabilities within their company.”

He didn’t elaborate, but the tacit understanding built over years allowed Chi Long to instantly grasp what Xiao Ye intended. About three minutes later, Chi Long’s voice came through again.

“Xiao King, the internal structure of Jianghai Business Alliance is extremely complex. It appears to be a collective chamber of commerce, but the factions within are tangled and connected to several provinces and cities near the Jiangnan region.”

Chi Long’s meaning was clear: if Jianghai Business Alliance were to be targeted, it would inevitably involve numerous interests. Although Xiao Ye had once been the eldest son of the Xiao family, his knowledge of these factions was limited. But now, as a king in his own right, such matters no longer concerned him.

“Return as soon as possible. There are plenty of issues in Jiangnan waiting for you,” Xiao Ye instructed before hanging up.

...

At the Jiang family manor, in the study.

Xiao Ye’s guess was spot on. Everything Qin Xue’er faced in the Xiao company today, from the plummeting stock price to the cancelled contracts, was orchestrated by Jiang Zhongtao. Leveraging his position as president of the Jianghai Business Alliance, he manipulated the situation with ease. With his intelligence network, finding out who the Xiao family had contracts with was a trivial matter. He bribed them and spread rumors about the Xiao company, ensuring no one dared do business with them.

This was Jiang Zhongtao’s usual tactic—he had brought down many companies in this way. Now, he repeated his tricks, aiming to topple the Xiao family. Seated at his desk, Jiang Zhongtao was smug and self-satisfied, as if he could already see Xiao Ye raging over bankruptcy.

...

Meanwhile, at the Xiao company.

With the stock price continuing to fall, Qin Xue’er’s phone was inundated with calls. Numerous companies who had signed contracts with Xiao were anxious, fearing if they didn’t withdraw quickly enough, the Jianghai Business Alliance would devour them entirely. Qin Xue’er stopped answering and focused on handling the stock crisis in her office.

She had a bad feeling; in her experience, such situations were exceedingly rare. All recent contracts were voided, leaving her deeply frustrated. Xiao Ye sat in the office, having already dispatched people to deal with the Jianghai Business Alliance. Chi Long had not yet returned, so things had to be handled one at a time—first weather the commercial crisis, then deal with the alliance.

He had already invested two billion yuan, yet it was like throwing stones into the sea—no ripple, no response. At this point, Xiao Ye was essentially giving Jiang Zhongtao free money. To regain control, he would have to invest even more. Even if he won, the best outcome would be mutual damage.

But just then, the stock price controlled by Jianghai Business Alliance began to rise, slowly but inexorably. The trend was sluggish, but unstoppable. Qin Xue’er’s expression brightened as she stared at the screen. “Xiao Ye, look!”

She called out, waving him over in excitement. Xiao Ye was surprised by the upward trend, but at that moment, Chi Long entered, pushing open the door.

“Xiao King, the matter has been resolved,” Chi Long reported with a respectful bow. Xiao Ye realized Chi Long had handled the Jianghai Business Alliance issue. He was about to speak when his phone rang—it was Xue Gui.

“Hello, old man, what’s up?” Xiao Ye answered.

“There’s been an incident. I located the medicinal herb I needed, but it was stolen. I’m currently in Jiangnan and need your help.”

Xue Gui’s voice was weary, echoing through the phone. As the matter involved Qin Xue’er’s illness, Xiao Ye took it seriously.

“I understand. Just like last time, send me the address—I’ll be there immediately,” Xiao Ye replied coldly, then hung up.

Returning to the office, Xiao Ye explained the situation to Qin Xue’er. “Xiao Xue, my old comrade needs my help. He’s in Jiangnan, and I’ll be leaving tonight. Stay at the villa until I return—someone will always be there to ensure your safety.”

Though her face revealed little, Qin Xue’er felt a pang of disappointment at his words. “I understand. Come back soon,” she said with a gentle smile, urging him to leave promptly.

After confirming everything was in order, Xiao Ye left the company.

...

Entering Jiangnan, Xiao Ye first found Xue Gui’s address.

“What’s the situation? Tell me in detail,” Xiao Ye asked upon seeing Xue Gui.

The herb Xue Gui had found was called Hui Grass Flower, extremely rare and precious. Just as he was about to acquire it, a group of mercenaries appeared and seized it.