19
Not Useful, So No More Flattery?
Chapter 19: No Use in Coaxing Anymore?
Jiang You’s appearance today starkly contrasted with his usual self, drawing probing and assessing glances from everyone present.
Fu Jing’s gaze had been fixed on him since he entered the room. Jiang You had never appeared so disheveled at the company before.
To be precise, he had never left the house looking so unkempt.
His slightly overgrown hair fell across his brows, making him look years younger than his usual slicked-back style. His pale, makeup-free face appeared utterly drained, as if he were quite unwell.
“I’ve called this emergency meeting regarding suspected bid leakage for the Nancheng Sanatorium project,” Jiang You said, pulling out a chair and taking his seat at the head of the table.
He turned to Fu Jing beside him. “Fu Jing, please briefly summarize the situation.”
Fu Jing nodded in acknowledgment before providing a concise overview of his work related to the matter, concluding with, “I’ve currently secured all critical workflow stages and evidence, including both electronic and physical documents.”
“Good.” Jiang You nodded. Just as he was about to continue, a voice piped up from the attendees:
“Could it be that President Fu is trying to undermine us because he wants to divorce our President Jiang?”
The speaker was Jiang Yuan from the Information Security Department, son of Jiang You’s second uncle and a few years older than Jiang You.
“Jiang Yuan, mind your words and know your place,” Jiang You said coldly, tapping his pen in Jiang Yuan’s direction, his aura sharp and unyielding.
Fu Jing leaned back in his chair, watching Jiang You.
Jiang You turned his head and scanned the colleagues present. “Let me outline the next steps. All departments will collaborate to form an investigation team, focusing on reviewing personnel with access to the base price, including outsourcing and third parties.”
“Understood,” the colleagues responded one by one.
At this point, Jiang Yuan interjected again, “Shouldn’t President Fu be suspended temporarily to avoid any appearance of impropriety?”
“Unnecessary,” Jiang You replied with a faint glance his way. “I trust Fu Jing.”
“President Jiang, aren’t you being rather biased?” Jiang Yuan slouched lazily in his chair, his demeanor flippant and undisciplined.
Around them, people cleared their throats or took sips of water, uncertain whether to view Jiang Yuan as foolish or bold for daring to target Fu Jing so blatantly in front of Jiang You. Even as a cousin, his audacity seemed excessive.
“He’s my husband. Shouldn’t I be biased?” Jiang You’s eyes chilled slightly as he looked down on Jiang Yuan.
“You consider him your husband, but does he feel the same about you?” Jiang Yuan muttered under his breath.
“What did you say?” Jiang You had heard him but wanted to see if he had the nerve to repeat it.
“Nothing,” Jiang Yuan said with a laugh. “I just thought President Jiang was always impartial and upright in public and private matters.”
“If I were truly impartial and upright, there wouldn’t be so many people surnamed Jiang in this company today,” Jiang You retorted, one forearm resting on the table, his back straight as he leaned into his chair.
Fu Jing’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang You throughout.
Jiang You remained composed from start to finish, his voice never raised, yet he exuded an authoritative presence that commanded respect without anger.
Perhaps too accustomed to seeing Jiang You meek and submissive in his presence, catching a glimpse of his edges and sharpness now reminded Fu Jing that this was the man who had shouldered the Jiang Corporation Empire in his early twenties—a responsibility involving the livelihoods of thousands of employees and their families.
This man might appear frail, but he was not without strength; he seemed breakable, yet he was resilient and unyielding.
Jiang Yuan leaned forward, twirling a pen in his hand with a cheerful grin. “We’re all gathered here to help you. Family would never harm you, but outsiders… that’s hard to say.”
Jiang You let out a slow “Oh” and nodded deliberately. “I thought you came here for work and life, Brother Yuan. In that case, thank you for your chivalrous assistance. There’s no need to trouble you with help from now on.”
“Compensate Brother Yuan according to his contract and process his resignation,” Jiang You instructed Zhao Linsheng, who stood nearby.
Jiang Yuan froze in place, his voice laced with disbelief. “What did you say, Jiang You?”
He shot to his feet, strode over to Jiang You, and yanked him up from his chair by the collar.
“You’re firing your own brother over a man who never gave you a second glance?”
At the scene, everyone in the meeting room stood up in alarm.
Fu Jing and Zhao Linsheng hurried over. One held Jiang You back while the other restrained Jiang Yuan, managing to free Jiang You after a brief struggle.
Jiang You leisurely straightened his tie, not a hair out of place. “Brother Yuan, a hot temper is useless for a man. Real capability is what matters.”
Jiang Yuan was too furious to speak. He jabbed a finger aggressively toward Jiang You before storming out of the meeting room like a gust of wind.
Jiang You addressed the room. “Let’s end the meeting here. You have one day—I want to see preliminary investigation results by tomorrow.”
“Yes, President Jiang.”
Jiang You then turned and left the meeting room, with Fu Jing following close behind.
“Where to?” Fu Jing asked, trailing him.
“Lunch,” Jiang You replied. “Join me?”
They walked out of the company together.
Fu Jing kept pace beside him. “Was that necessary? Offending your Jiang family for my sake? We’re getting divorced soon anyway.”
Jiang You glanced sideways at him. “Only our relationship will change. Nothing else will.”
They went to the Hong Kong-style tea restaurant they had visited together last time.
“After the divorce, I’ll leave Jiang Corporation,” Fu Jing said.
Jiang You was wiping his hands meticulously with a wet wipe, rubbing each finger several times. The ring on his left ring finger always gleamed conspicuously.
Jiang You’s fingers were pale and slender—the ring was purely decorative on him. Yet, worn on the ring finger, it carried an added layer of ceremonial and ambiguous meaning.
“Fu Jing, don’t sabotage your future. Look at what others your age are achieving. Cherish what you have now.”
Fu Jing felt inexplicably that Jiang You was particularly sharp-tongued today.
“You think these things are good, you’re willing to give them, and you’re generous with them—but does that mean I must like them?”
Jiang You tossed the wet wipe aside. “Fu Jing, if you were burdened with mortgages and car loans, scrambling to make ends like ordinary people, you wouldn’t talk like this.”
“Are you implying I’m nothing without you?” Fu Jing’s expression darkened slightly.
“That’s not what I meant,” Jiang You explained. “I’m saying, without resources, connections, or the ladder of the Jiang family, could you have climbed to your current height at this age?”
Fu Jing’s Adam’s apple bobbed—he truly had no rebuttal.
Jiang You tore open a pair of chopsticks and handed them to him. “It’s not just you. Me too. If I weren’t Jiang Sheng’s son, who knows where I’d be now.”
Fu Jing took the chopsticks and tapped Jiang You lightly on the forehead with them. “Alright, shut up.”
Jiang You lowered his head, ruffling his own bangs.
“Going out without even putting on makeup today, President Jiang?” Fu Jing teased him.
“In a hurry, forgot.” Jiang You picked up a mouthful of plain rice and brought it to his lips.
“It’s not like it’s an emergency.” Fu Jing said indifferently.
“Anything concerning you is urgent to me.”
Fu Jing turned his head away and picked up his water glass. “Stop sweet-talking me, it won’t work.”
“So I should stop if it doesn’t work?” Jiang You asked.