Volume One, Chapter Five: An Immediate Abdication?

The next morning, after Qiao Ye finished the group’s regular meeting, she returned to the CEO’s office. Seeing several shareholders sitting inside, she let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Since you aren't in the meeting, are you waiting here because you want me to hold a private session for you?"

The shareholders’ faces turned ashen.

"CEO Qiao, we heard that Young Master Lu has returned. Why haven't you allowed him to return to the group?"

"What did you promise us back then? You said you were only helping to take over temporarily and that as soon as someone from the Lu family returned, you would hand the group back to them. That is the only reason we agreed to let you be the CEO!"

"Exactly! Or are you planning to keep the group for yourself now?"

Qiao Ye remained calm. "So, you’re suggesting I should just step down?"

Mr. Bai, the leader among them, spoke first: "It isn't that we are asking you to step down, but Young Master Lu must return. We still need to evaluate whether he is currently capable of taking over the company, but at the very least, he must be brought into the firm!"

"That’s right!" Mr. Zhang, who was always blunt, added, "Otherwise, we’ll go on strike!"

Qiao Ye shook her head with a cold sneer. These four were all loyal confidants of Chairman Lu, devoted entirely to the Lu family. She had long known that they had been colluding with the old Madame Lu. On one hand, they wanted her to stabilize the Lu Group; on the other, they feared she might expand her own influence and had been throwing obstacles in her path.

However, for now, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to forcibly prevent Lu Qi'an from entering the company. It would be better to give them what they wanted and let him return. She was confident in herself; the CEO position wasn't something easily surrendered.

"Very well, let him return. In your opinion, Mr. Bai, what position should he be given?"

Seeing her compromise, Mr. Bai’s expression softened slightly. "A vice-president role should be manageable. It would allow him to be exposed to the company's major decisions without giving him too much executive authority." He paused, looking at Qiao Ye with a meaningful gaze. "As for the timeline, it depends on when he is ready to take over the company. During this period, you can continue to serve as the acting CEO."

A bunch of calculating foxes.

Qiao Ye sneered inwardly, though she appeared very respectful of their decision on the surface. "Fine, I will follow Mr. Bai’s advice."

After they left, Lu Tingxiao emerged from the office’s lounge. He strode over to Qiao Ye, teasing, "Good thing I hid in time, or they would have discovered me."

Qiao Ye pulled her lips into a strained smile, still feeling annoyed by their words. As she moved her arm, she accidentally knocked into a water glass nearby. Seeing it about to fall, she rushed to catch it, but Lu Tingxiao was faster. She ended up grabbing his warm, large hand directly.

Time seemed to freeze. Qiao Ye looked up and caught the depths of Lu Tingxiao’s eyes. Their breathing intertwined, their exhales hot. Looking at his face so close to hers, Lu Tingxiao felt a flicker of the image that had haunted his mind a thousand times over.

Resemblance. It was so similar. So similar that it was almost impossible to tell them apart.

Seeing him staring at her in a daze, Qiao Ye felt a sharp pang of pain in her heart. It was this look again. Only when thinking of that woman did Lu Tingxiao reveal such a tender, overflowing gaze. The more affectionate he acted, the sadder Qiao Ye felt. Sometimes she even wished she didn't have this face, yet at other times, she felt shamefully grateful that she did.

"Daddy!" Suddenly, the office door pushed open, and Tangdou stood in the doorway clutching a doll. "What are you two doing?"

Qiao Ye quickly pushed Lu Tingxiao away and steadied her heartbeat. "Tangdou, haven't I told you to knock before entering the office?"

Tangdou trotted inside, speaking with a serious air. "Rules are for outsiders. I’m not Mommy’s employee, so why should I follow them?"

Qiao Ye: "..." Such a smart-aleck. She really didn't know who she took after.

Lu Tingxiao placed the cup on the table. "I'll leave our daughter with you. I have some matters at the company, so I'm heading back."

"Alright, I happen to be heading to the Lu residence anyway."

Lu Tingxiao looked at her weary brow. "If you can't resolve the situation, shall I come back to help you?"

Qiao Ye looked at him, her heart wavering. He was always like this. He seemed to care about her, but in the end, wasn't it all because of that woman? A bitter taste spread in her mouth, but she shook her head with a smile. "No need, I can handle it myself."

Seeing her resolve, Lu Tingxiao said nothing more.

...

When Qiao Ye returned to the Lu residence with Tangdou, she saw that detestable face the moment she walked in. She was not surprised. Seeing Tangdou, Lu Qi'an lost his composure again, but the old Madame Lu gently held his hand, signaling him to stop with her eyes.

Then, she spoke coldly, "Oh, you're back early today."

"I was waiting for you to tell me what's going on." Qiao Ye changed her shoes and walked in, handing Tangdou over to the nanny.

The old Madame Lu sneered. "At least you have some self-awareness. I have already allowed Qi'an to return today. Yuanbao is of the Lu bloodline, so he must return as well. As for Chu Yun'er, the child cannot be without her, so she is already staying upstairs."

"Since you’ve already made the decision, there’s no need to discuss it with me." Qiao Ye was perfectly calm. Letting a mistress and an illegitimate child move in to live with her—that was exactly the kind of thing this family would do.

Seeing her submissive attitude, the old Madame Lu assumed her words from the other day had worked and acted with arrogance. "Good, you’re sensible. If you continue to be this understanding, you might stay in this house longer. Perhaps when Qi'an stabilizes his position in the company, we can even get you a manager role or something."

Hearing this, Qiao Ye felt like laughing. They clearly thought she had outlived her usefulness and were now planning to discard her once the job was done. She took a breath and said coldly, "It’s fine if Chu Yun'er and her son stay, but I have one condition: this is only a temporary arrangement, a transition period. They must leave in a month, or else it won't look good if word gets out."

The old Madame Lu agreed offhandedly. Beside her, Lu Qi'an let out a disdainful scoff. An orphan living under their roof dared to negotiate with them? If it weren't for his grandmother telling him yesterday that Qiao Ye still had value to be exploited and that he needed to be firmly established in the Lu Group before kicking her out, he would have divorced her long ago.

Qiao Ye returned to her bedroom, and as she was about to change, her peripheral vision caught her jewelry box. It had been pulled out. Someone had touched it. Her face darkened instantly. Her first instinct was to check the guest room next door, and sure enough, she saw her favorite blue sapphire necklace around Chu Yun'er’s neck.

She strode over, ripped it off, and snapped, "Who told you to touch my things? Not only is your heart filthy, but your hands are just as unclean!"

Chu Yun'er bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "Sister, how can you slander me like this?" Seeing a figure appear at the door, she began to cry even harder. "Qi'an..."

Lu Qi'an walked in just in time to witness the scene.