"Look how young he is, seventeen or eighteen at most. He has barely grown a beard."
"Try to understand the loneliness of an older woman alone."
"I'm not criticizing you, Mr. Zeng, but if you want entertainment, go find it elsewhere. If this gets out, it will seriously damage the Zeng family's reputation."
The five elders of the Zeng family spoke in unison, mocking Zeng Rou and Xia Tian.
"You old men, shut up." Zeng Rou glared at the three men.
"Should we keep our mouths shut, or should you behave better?"
"That's all you can do." Zeng Rou looked at the five elders with contempt, then tossed a stack of documents onto the table and said, "Read this carefully."
Everyone opened the file and stared at the documents in astonishment. The papers contained evidence of the elders' smuggling and other illegal activities carried out over the years. The five had committed even more despicable and shameless acts. The evidence was listed item by item.
"Zeng Rou, you are slandering me." The eldest brother of the Zeng family slammed his palm on the table and glared at Zeng Rou.
"Really? You will soon know whether I am slandering you. The court subpoena will reach you today, and a key witness will arrive at the court the day after tomorrow. Then you can argue with the judge." Zeng Rou met the five elders' eyes coldly.
"Five elders, will you explain yourselves?" the other shareholders demanded. Even Zeng family members who held only four percent of the shares looked at the elders with curiosity.
"How can you believe such an absurd lie? She made it up." The eldest son of the Zeng family hurriedly defended himself.
"That's right. Zeng Rou kept a gigolo and even brought him into the conference room. Someone like that is not trustworthy." The second eldest son quickly chimed in.
"Maybe it was this pretty boy who kidnapped President Zeng and forced her into this." The third son, the most malicious of the siblings, smirked. The other elders looked on as if enjoying the spectacle.
"You must have Mr. Zeng's secrets, such as evidence of crimes or a video." The third son turned his attack toward Xia Tian. He realized that Zeng Rou had high standing with many; now that she had produced this evidence, the situation was perilous for them. They could not confront Zeng Rou directly.
So he planned to attack Xia Tian's character in order to undermine Zeng Rou's credibility.
"Is that the best you old men can do? Are you that desperate?" Zeng Rou sneered at the elders.
"Pretty boy, if you have the guts to speak, why not admit it? You threatened Zeng Rou and tried to bring down our Zeng Group." The third son continued, pointing at Xia Tian.
"What I did has nothing to do with him. If you have the courage, come at me." Zeng Rou's anger flared as she faced the five elders.
"Come at you?" The third son smiled nastily. "Fine. We are impeaching you now. You are no longer qualified to serve as CEO of Zeng Group. You must resign and sell your shares to us at one millionth of their value."
This was the five elders' true intention. They wanted Zeng Rou's shares.
"One percent of the shares for one million?" Everyone was stunned. Given Zeng Group's current value, the offer was a blatant rip-off.
"How generous. However, once you are arrested, I will not sell to you. I will distribute your shares to capable family members." Zeng Rou's counterproposal pleased those present more than the elders' plan.
The five elders sought to seize Zeng Rou's fortune; Zeng Rou proposed to divide their shares instead.
"You," the five elders said, slamming their fists on the table and glaring at Zeng Rou.
"Have you had enough troublemaking?" Xia Tian, who had been sitting beside Zeng Rou, spoke up suddenly.
"Who do you think you are? You have no right to speak here." The eldest son shouted at Xia Tian.
"Will everything be resolved once we get rid of these five old men?" Xia Tian asked Zeng Rou.
"Xia Tian, do not be impulsive. In two days their problems will be over." Zeng Rou knew Xia Tian's power but did not want him to create trouble on her behalf.
"I cannot wait two days. I believe that if the client is dead, Liusha will not work for a dead person." Xia Tian stood and walked toward the five elders.
"Xia Tian, do not be impulsive." Zeng Rou called out urgently.
"Pretty boy, what are you doing?" The five elders watched Xia Tian warily, having heard the word "Liusha." Anyone who knew about Liusha was not an ordinary person.
"Zeng Rou, I get it. He must be the killer you hired. You want to kill him to silence him." The third son barked; the whole conference room turned to watch Xia Tian with renewed suspicion.
Bang!
A crisp slap rang out. "You are the only one who talks too much."
"You dare hit me?" the third son yelled, clutching his face.
Bang!
"So what if I hit you?" Xia Tian struck him again.
"You..." the third son tried to speak.
Bang!
"You what?" Xia Tian struck again.
"I..." the third son stammered.
Bang!
"I what?" Xia Tian continued.
Bang!
A series of slaps echoed through the conference room. Everyone who had looked down on him as merely a pretty boy was stunned to see such violence.
The third son was known for his viciousness; people would usually rather provoke the hot-tempered eldest than this cruel third son. Yet Xia Tian continued until the third son's face was swollen and bruised.
"Stop hitting me, don't... hit me." The third son could no longer speak coherently.
Bang!
"If you tell me not to hit you, I will stop. That would be embarrassing." Xia Tian struck him again; no one dared to intervene.
"Hit me, hit... me," Zeng Laosan shouted hurriedly.
Bang!
"Such a cheap request, I will oblige this time." Xia Tian slapped the third son once more, knocking him to the floor.
"Who next?" Xia Tian's gaze swept the remaining elders.
The others recoiled at that look; they began to retreat instinctively. To them, Xia Tian felt like an omen of plague.
Boom, boom, boom.
Someone knocked on the conference room door.