{Chapter: 342 Sharing wealth and adversity together!}
The reason Yan Ruyue posed that question was because she recalled what Lin Yuan had told her earlier.
He had asked her to reclaim as many shares of the company as possible.
His words were calm but decisive—he wanted to purge the company of arrogant shareholders and those with hidden agendas who only wished to meddle with the management for personal gain. These people, in Lin Yuan's eyes, were expendable—dead weight, dragging the company down.
And now, as Yan Ruyue scanned the faces around the long table, she could see it plainly—many of them couldn't wait to get out. Their eyes were restless, filled with anticipation, like people waiting for a delayed train that would take them far away from a collapsing building.
That was precisely why she asked: "Is there anyone who still wants to reconsider?"
But her words seemed to fall into a void.
None of the gathered shareholders responded. They averted their gazes, shuffled papers, or glanced at their watches, pretending not to hear her. The silence was thick, calculated.
Unbeknownst to them, the storm had already passed. The crisis they believed was swallowing the Yanyue Company had already been resolved, thanks to Lin Yuan's quiet but efficient maneuvering.
But these shareholders didn't know that. They still believed the company was doomed.
In their minds, Yan Ruyue's question was a sign of hesitation, of second thoughts—perhaps even desperation. They believed she was beginning to regret her decision to buy back the shares.
But they, of course, felt no such regrets.
In their eyes, they were the clever ones. Selling the shares now, while she was still offering a price above market value, was a masterstroke. They would walk away with tidy profits while the company drowned.
So, they played deaf.
No one responded to Yan Ruyue's inquiry.
And then, breaking the silence, someone grew impatient and decided to speak up.
"President Yan, we've all thought this through carefully," one of the shareholders said with a confident, almost smug tone. "That's why we're all here—to proceed with the transfer. You've already agreed to buy the shares at a price higher than market value. So please, just sign the document and let us be done with it."
"Yes, President Yan," another chimed in with a polite but hurried voice. "I've got a meeting soon and I'd like to wrap this up quickly."
Seeing that someone had taken the initiative to rush Yan Ruyue, others eagerly followed suit. They sensed momentum and pushed forward.
"Please sign it quickly."
"We trust your word. Let's proceed."
They were all excited about selling off their stakes at a favorable price. They knew full well that if they waited even a few more days, the situation might change—and not in their favor.
Just then, a sharp voice cut through the rising murmur.
"Zhang Zongliang, do you even have a shred of conscience left?" A stern-looking middle-aged woman snapped, her tone laced with disdain and disappointment. "You were more than willing to share in the profits when Yanyue's stock prices soared. Back then, when the value of each share multiplied, did you consider transferring them? No. But now that there's a challenge, you're the first to run. That's shameful."
It was Chen Yue—a long-time shareholder and one of the rare loyalists in the room.
Lin Yuan quietly observed the exchange. It didn't take long for him to piece together the relationships. Zhang Zongliang and Chen Yue were both veteran shareholders, likely present since the founding of the company. But now, most of them were trying to wash their hands of it and walk away.
Chen Yue was among the few who still wished to stay and fight for the future of Yanyue Company. Her face betrayed her fury and disappointment at her peers.
Zhang Zongliang, visibly annoyed by her words, didn't hold back.
"Why are you accusing me of having no conscience?" he retorted sharply. "It was President Yan who initiated the buyback. I'm just cooperating with her decision. What's so wrong with that?"
"And let me be clear, I'm not the only one here. I'm just voicing what everyone else is thinking. We all know the company is in trouble. It's human nature to protect one's own interests. I didn't force this—President Yan offered to buy the shares, and I simply accepted."
His words were met with several nods and murmurs of agreement.
"Yes, exactly. I wasn't even considering selling—until she made the offer."
"Right. It wasn't our idea. She came to us with this."
Although nearly everyone in the room had already made up their minds to sell, none of them would admit they were fleeing. They chose instead to pin the entire narrative on Yan Ruyue.
Not one of them would say it aloud, but their actions spoke volumes.
To them, this was just business.
But for Yan Ruyue, it was a moment of quiet betrayal.
Upon witnessing the shameless attitudes of these ungrateful individuals, Chen Yue—who was known for being direct and bold—couldn't hold back her frustration and spoke out angrily. Her words struck a nerve with many in the room, and with her outburst, the tension in the room thickened like smoke.
Soon after, the atmosphere began to shift as several shareholders who were loyal to the company and still had faith in its future began to speak up in support of her. A clear divide formed between two opposing camps—those who wanted to remain loyal and ride out the storm with Yanyue Company, and those eager to abandon ship at the first sign of trouble.
Unfortunately, the number of those siding with Chen Yue was quite small. The majority of the shareholders had already made up their minds to withdraw and cash out while they could.
Lin Yuan, who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, observed the scene with calm, calculating eyes.
He had seen this situation coming from the very beginning. The split among the shareholders—those who were loyal and those who were opportunistic—was precisely why Lin Yuan had previously suggested to Yan Ruyue that she reclaim as many shares of the company as possible.
A growing company needed unity and vision, not infighting and self-serving decision-makers. People like Zhang Zongliang, with his arrogance and tendency to stir up dissent, were dangerous. His influence could easily destabilize decision-making processes in the future. Lin Yuan understood that such individuals, while loud and present now, would only be dead weight as the company expanded and scaled greater heights. They had to be cut off cleanly—like pruning diseased branches from a healthy tree.
The discussion in the meeting room gradually lost its form and transformed into a disorderly argument. Raised voices clashed in a cacophony of accusations and self-righteous claims. At the center of the storm was the increasingly heated dispute between Zhang Zongliang and Chen Yue, which had been sparked by her earlier scolding.
Yan Ruyue, who had been observing everything in silence beside Lin Yuan, suddenly raised her hand and brought it down onto the conference table with a firm pat.
The sound wasn't particularly loud, but the effect was immediate.
Everyone in the room froze. The atmosphere turned cold in an instant. Yan Ruyue was a woman of status and grace, well-respected not only as the president of Yanyue Company but also as someone known for her calm and composed demeanor. When she acted out of character, people paid attention.
All eyes turned toward her, waiting to hear what she had to say.
With a cold and unwavering gaze, Yan Ruyue looked directly at the two bickering shareholders and said plainly, "That's enough, Zhang Zongliang. Be quiet. And Chen Yue, there's no need to argue with him anymore. I've made my decision. I'll sign the transfer agreements now. The finance department will handle the remaining procedures."
She didn't raise her voice, but her tone was resolute and final.
Then, without hesitation, Yan Ruyue picked up the pen in front of her and began to sign the documents.
Lin Yuan glanced at the agreement and saw the buyback prices—they were significantly higher than the current market value. Once Yan Ruyue put her signature on the dotted lines, the deal would be legally binding and immediately effective.
Yet, even as she moved her pen gracefully across the paper, her face remained as still as a mask—expressionless and unreadable.
Chen Yue, who had been with Yan Ruyue since the founding of the company, looked worried. She had no idea that Yanyue Company's problems had already been quietly resolved behind the scenes. Seeing Yan Ruyue's blank expression, Chen Yue assumed the worst—that her president was under immense pressure and struggling silently.
Moved by her loyalty and concern, Chen Yue leaned forward and said with firm conviction, "President Yan, it's alright. Let's push through together. Yanyue Company has survived storms before—this one will pass too. Things will get better!"
Yan Ruyue looked up, her gaze softening slightly. She nodded and replied, "Thank you, Chen Yue."
From the side, Zhang Zongliang—who had remained quiet for a while—suddenly let out a smile and said, "Yes, of course. I also wish Yanyue Company all the best in the future."
Although his words were courteous on the surface, the irony and insincerity behind his tone were apparent. His smirk, the glint in his eye—it all betrayed a sense of smug satisfaction. He believed he had made the smart move, selling his shares while he still could.
He didn't even bother to respond further to either Chen Yue or Yan Ruyue. For him, the matter was already over.
In truth, Zhang Zongliang had always harbored resentment toward Yan Ruyue. Although he held a significant number of shares in the past, he never had the influence to control the direction of the company. Yan Ruyue's dominance in the decision-making process left him frustrated more than once.
Chen Yue glared daggers at him, clearly disgusted by his attitude and false goodwill. But Yan Ruyue ignored the pettiness and focused on finishing the remaining signatures on the thick stack of documents.
Watching the scene unfold, Lin Yuan glanced at Zhang Zongliang, who looked visibly elated—as if he had just outwitted everyone and made the perfect exit.
But Lin Yuan's lips curled into a slight smile. His smile was gentle, refined even, but it carried an undertone that made it hard to read. It was neither warm nor welcoming. It was the kind of smile that made others second-guess themselves.
With his handsome features and confident aura, Lin Yuan had a magnetic charm that naturally drew the attention of both women and men alike. But now, there was something about that smile—just a hint of mockery, a taste of triumph—that unsettled even the proud Zhang Zongliang.
Feeling the weight of Lin Yuan's gaze, Zhang Zongliang turned his head and met Lin Yuan's eyes.
He was about to return the smile with one of his own—perhaps a snide grin or even a smug smirk—but then he hesitated. He remembered who Lin Yuan was. Though young, Lin Yuan's background and influence were on par with Yan Ruyue. He wasn't someone to provoke carelessly.
More than that, there was something mysterious and unfathomable about Lin Yuan's temperament. He didn't speak much, but his silence always seemed deeper than mere quiet—it gave off the impression that he was playing a game with pieces only he could see.
Feeling a strange sense of pressure, Zhang Zongliang swallowed his pride and quickly averted his gaze.
Just then, Yan Ruyue placed the final signed document on the table and looked up with steely eyes.