Volume One, Chapter 13: If You Lose, Get Out of the Company

“Qiao Ye, what do you mean by this?”

President Bai couldn’t sit still and stood up, his face falling.

“Are you trying to push us out? Don’t forget, if it weren’t for us, the Lu Corporation would have long ceased to operate!”

“That’s not the case. I’m giving you all an opportunity. President Bai, do you not trust President Lu?”

Qiao Ye countered, completely shifting the blame.

“If all the shareholders believe he can handle this project well, I certainly won’t question your judgment.”

“It’s just that I don’t have many capable employees under me. If President Lu can casually take any project away, how is the company supposed to keep running?”

“Everyone feels threatened, worried about losing their projects. President Bai, wouldn’t you agree?”

President Bai knew this situation was unfair, but since Lu Qi’an chose to act this way, he must have his reasons—and naturally, they had to support him.

“Even so, it’s just one project. How can that determine whether we stay in the company?”

Qiao Ye smiled and explained, “You misunderstand. I’m not asking you to hand over your shares, just to stop interfering with company affairs and quietly fulfill your role as shareholders.”

After saying this, Qiao Ye glanced at Lu Qi’an with a challenging look.

“Or is it that President Lu himself isn’t confident and thinks this will definitely fail?”

Lu Qi’an’s secret thoughts were exposed, and he nervously shouted, “How could that be? I’m sure I’ll succeed! I accepted this bet, but if I win, you and your people will pack up and leave!”

“No way, I won’t agree!”

Just as President Bai spoke, another voice rang out.

“What bet? Let me hear it too.”

Lu Tingxiao entered from the doorway, eyes lowered as he took in the situation.

“Uncle, why are you here?”

Lu Qi’an smiled uneasily, trying to appease him.

“It’s just some small squabble. There’s a project I think is excellent, and I want to take it over personally.”

“Just taking over a project, and these shareholders are here?”

Lu Tingxiao stood beside Qiao Ye, leisurely picking up the folder on the table to glance through it.

“This project is a bit innovative. What, not only do you think it’s good, but you all want in as well?”

President Bai felt a chill and his face stiffened slightly.

“It’s not that, President Qiao thinks President Lu can’t do it well, so he made a bet.”

“If President Lu wins, President Qiao leaves the company and relinquishes his CEO position; if President Qiao wins, both we and President Lu must step down and leave the company.”

“You didn’t agree to that?”

Lu Tingxiao looked at President Bai with a calm expression.

“I recall you’re nearing retirement age. At your age, wouldn’t you support the younger generation with ambition instead of opposing them?”

President Bai remained silent, feeling uneasy.

He had only come to help, but if he lost his position, how much influence would he still have in Lu Corporation?

“Since you all support Lu Qi’an, refusing now would be like slapping your own face.”

“But I know you think the bet is a bit unfair—five people for one is unbalanced. I’ll raise the stakes: if Qiao Ye loses, I’ll invest another one hundred million into Lu Corporation. How’s that?”

The shareholders looked up, exchanging glances, fully aware that Lu Tingxiao was pressuring them to agree.

Now that it had come this far, there was no room for regret.

President Bai gritted his teeth, “Fine!”

“Alright then, this project will take three months. Much of the preliminary work is already done. President Lu should be able to finish within three months. If after three months it doesn’t reach fifty million, you all know the consequences.”

Qiao Ye breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the shareholders agree.

This was good; three months was enough time to accomplish a lot.

“No need to remind me. Just wait to lose.”

Lu Qi’an snatched the file case from Manager Lin protectively, speaking fiercely.

“In three months, I’ll make you step down obediently!”

With that, he stormed off.

Qiao Ye turned to comfort Manager Lin briefly, then arranged for a new project before leading Lu Tingxiao to his office.

The man sat on the sofa, his jacket casually tossed aside, scrutinizing Qiao Ye.

“I already told you not to worry about him; I’ll handle it. Why did so many people bully you today?”

“They bullied me openly. I couldn’t just stand there without fighting back.”

Qiao Ye shrugged, not feeling that today’s actions were rash.

“Lu Qi’an is like a stubborn rash. Asking him to leave quietly is impossible. It’s better to let him lose face in Lu Corporation so he won’t be able to come back even if he wants to.”

Lu Tingxiao didn’t refute, “What if he really succeeds?”

“Then he’ll have to leave.”

Qiao Ye was still a bit worried but hid it well, jokingly asking, “If I leave Lu Corporation, could Xinghai take me in?”

“That’s quick to have a backup plan. That’s not like you.”

Lu Tingxiao neither agreed nor refused.

Qiao Ye felt a little disappointed but wasn’t upset.

Their relationship was never very close.

She had just forgotten her own status out of joy when Lu Tingxiao stood up for her...

“By the way, what brings you here today? I thought you were busy with that big project.”

Qiao Ye asked casually. Lu Tingxiao responded with a hum.

“They invited me to a banquet at the club tonight and told me to bring you along—to broaden your horizons.”

“Me?”

Qiao Ye had accompanied Lu Tingxiao before and roughly knew what it entailed.

It was mostly just to fend off drinks. But she had recently been weakened by medication, and her doctor prescribed tonic medicine—she shouldn’t drink alcohol now.

She hesitated but still wanted to try refusing.

“You know my condition; I shouldn’t drink recently. How about we change it?”

Hearing this, Lu Tingxiao looked at Qiao Ye, smiling teasingly.

“I just invested money for you, and now you’re unwilling?”

Qiao Ye felt threatened by his tone and quickly corrected herself.

“I was just groggy and misspoke. Since you personally invited me, of course, I’ll go.”

“Good. Freshen up this afternoon. I’ll have my assistant bring some clothes. Finish work early; I’ll pick you up.”

Lu Tingxiao stood, picked up his clothes, and seemed about to leave, but suddenly stopped and turned back to Qiao Ye.

As if recalling something, he smiled playfully.

“If Lu Corporation fires you, I might consider hiring you as a live-in nanny to take care of Tang Dou and Dou Bao. Not bad, right?”

With that, he strode away.

Qiao Ye was stunned, thinking of the two children, forced a bitter smile, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Lu Tingxiao wasn’t being kind by finding her a place.

Asking her to look after the children was probably because her face resembled that woman’s.