{Chapter: 344 Slap your face instantly! Ruthless President Yan!}
Although Zhang Zongliang was no longer a shareholder, having already withdrawn all his investments from Yanyue Company, he had been part of the enterprise for several years. His history with the company left him with complicated feelings—an uneasy mix of frustration, regret, and skepticism.
At this moment, he was feeling deeply unsettled and somewhat lost.
To make matters worse, the person currently standing at the center of attention—Lin Yuan—was not even affiliated with the company in any official capacity. He had no known position, no apparent business ties, and no documented investment. This only added fuel to the fire burning in Zhang Zongliang's chest.
Zhang Zongliang scanned the room, hoping someone—anyone—would speak up and support his perspective. Yet, to his growing frustration, silence greeted him. No one offered him so much as a nod of agreement. It was as if the crowd had already chosen sides, and he wasn't on the winning one.
He then turned his gaze to Yan Ruyue, hoping for some form of acknowledgment or response from her. But once again, he was ignored.
She didn't even bother looking in his direction. And Lin Yuan? The young man simply repeated his earlier dismissal with the same detached expression: "Are you a shareholder? Why does it matter to you? Get out."
Faced with such public disregard, Zhang Zongliang could only force a strained smile and respond with feigned calmness: "Indeed, I am no longer a shareholder, and technically, the affairs of the company no longer concern me."
He paused deliberately, then continued:
"However, I spent years with Yanyue Company. I witnessed its growth, its challenges, and its internal culture. Naturally, I still care about the people here and the future of the company."
As he spoke, his words stirred a faint discomfort among those present.
They knew, deep down, that Zhang Zongliang wasn't entirely wrong. But there was also a clear contradiction in his behavior. If he truly cared, why did he abandon the company in its time of greatest need?
He hadn't just pulled back some of his investment—he had withdrawn everything. And now, after washing his hands of Yanyue, he returned to voice his concerns?
People could sense the dissonance.
Adults are often driven by profit and practical interests. When a business starts to falter, it's common for investors to pull out. But once those decisions are made, sentimentality rings hollow. Now, his sudden expression of concern seemed disingenuous, even opportunistic.
Lin Yuan, ever composed, could see through the pretense. He knew that this wasn't about nostalgia or loyalty—it was the setup for something else. Zhang Zongliang was building toward a larger accusation.
Sure enough, the man continued:
"Let's be honest. The problems Yanyue Company is facing are enormous. The manufacturer that supplied the facial mask sheets terminated their cooperation without warning, causing a sudden and critical shortage. Production ground to a halt. At the same time, we lost our public endorser, and liquidity dropped significantly."
His tone grew heavier with every sentence.
"I had personal matters that forced me to withdraw my shares. But still, I couldn't let go of my concern for the company and its people."
Then came the real blow: "But my instincts and experience tell me—these issues aren't something that can be resolved overnight. It's simply not realistic. Solving all of these problems so quickly... it sounds far-fetched."
He glanced at Yan Ruyue and added pointedly:
"President Yan, I don't mean to accuse you. I just feel obligated to remind everyone here that it's dangerous to create a false sense of prosperity. Even worse, you might fall into the trap of trusting someone who isn't who they claim to be."
It was a subtle but sharp attack—one wrapped in the appearance of concern. But the implications were clear: Zhang Zongliang was accusing Yan Ruyue of lying and Lin Yuan of being a fraud.
The room fell into hushed murmurs. Everyone now understood the true meaning behind Zhang Zongliang's carefully worded speech.
He believed Yan Ruyue had deliberately fabricated a story to boost the company's image and prevent its stock price and reputation from collapsing. And Lin Yuan? To him, the young man was nothing more than a scammer taking advantage of the situation.
His words carried weight—not because they were admirable, but because they were insidious and shrewd.
Though some found his remarks tasteless and petty, they couldn't deny that his logic had its own unsettling appeal.
After all, Yan Ruyue's earlier announcement was nothing short of shocking. Everyone had seen her just that morning—stressed, tired, seemingly at a loss. And now she was suddenly claiming every issue had been resolved?
It was hard to digest.
Low whispers rippled across the meeting room as people began to exchange opinions in private.
"…Zhang Zongliang may have overstepped a bit, but what he said does seem logical. How could the problems be resolved so quickly?"
"Exactly. Feng Dahai's facial mask sheets use specialized high-end materials. Our entire product line was tailored to match those sheets. You can't just replace them with any generic product. It requires time—research, testing, custom fitting before mass production. Even finding a new supplier would take days at the very least."
"I'm beginning to suspect that President Yan might be bluffing a little. Maybe she just doesn't want the company's market value to crash. I mean, once the confidence is gone, the stock will plummet."
"She should just tell the truth. We're not unreasonable. If the issues really have been solved, she should provide proof. Otherwise, what's stopping the speculation?"
As the quiet muttering continued, it became clear that many in the room were starting to side with Zhang Zongliang's narrative, whether out of genuine doubt or herd mentality.
Zhang Zongliang saw the shift and smiled smugly. He had successfully planted the seeds of doubt.
But Yan Ruyue remained calm and composed. She offered no immediate rebuttal. Instead, she picked up her phone without saying a word and dialed a number.
Her silence, paired with her confident demeanor, made the room fall quiet again.
Something was about to happen.
And all eyes were now on her.
"Security, there are individuals in the conference room who are no longer affiliated with the company. Please come up immediately and escort them out," Yan Ruyue said coldly, her tone devoid of emotion or tolerance.
The weight of her words fell hard on everyone present—especially on Zhang Zongliang, who looked as if he had just been slapped in the face.
Zhang Zongliang, despite having already withdrawn all his shares, had still expected some form of explanation or respect from Yan Ruyue. Instead, he was being dismissed without ceremony, as if he were nothing more than a stranger loitering in a restricted area.
His face turned an unsightly shade of red, a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and disbelief. Around him, the faces of the other former shareholders darkened as well. None of them had anticipated this level of disdain. They had hoped their past association with the company would still carry some weight.
But they were wrong.
What they didn't realize was that Yan Ruyue no longer cared about their opinions. In her eyes, they had already abandoned the company when they chose to pull out their investments. Their loyalty had ended the moment they lost confidence in Yanyue's future. Why should she now explain herself to those who had turned their backs?
Meanwhile, Lin Yuan remained composed. Sitting beside Yan Ruyue, he casually made a call, entirely unconcerned by the murmurings of the crowd. In his possession were the newly signed contracts, supporting documents, and enough proof to back up every claim made about Yanyue Company's recovery. His confidence was tangible, making it impossible to call him a fraud.
In comparison, the voices of these former shareholders, no matter how loud or dramatic, were meaningless noise.
That's why Yan Ruyue didn't even bother to argue. She didn't need to.
But the more she ignored them, the more frustrated they became.
Zhang Zongliang, visibly suppressing his fury, suddenly burst out laughing. "Ha! Yes, we're not part of the Yanyue Company anymore. We have no stake in your supply issues or your stock inventory problems. But let me remind you, President Yan—falsifying the company's current state is considered corporate fraud. That's a crime. If you're misleading the public, I'll make sure it's reported. I'll expose this myself when I find the time!"
His threat was laced with arrogance, as though he believed he held the moral high ground.