RAHHSFL - Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Qin Juran stayed in D City for two more days, finding inspiration and themes in every city. She had initially only found the city vaguely familiar, but after mentioning it to Ruan Nan, she remembered that Ruan Huyue and Gu Ying’s family now lived in D City. They only used the villa in A City during holidays.
Qin Juran asked Ruan Nan if her father had contacted her again. Ruan Nan said he had called twice.
Ruan Huyue usually had Uncle Chen transfer a substantial allowance to her every month, but she hadn’t received it for the past two months. Not short of money herself, she didn't bother confronting him about it.
She considered it a donation of two handbags to Gu Ying’s personal charity.
Qin Juran had planned to stay in D City for four days but, finding more places of interest, stayed for the weekend. On Monday morning, as soon as she entered the office, Huang Ying rushed over, a perplexed expression on her face. "Ju Ju, you spent so many days in D City. Does Nan Jie know you’re back?"
"What are you talking about?" Qin Juran was confused.
Huang Ying was taken aback. "Wait, you don't know about Juyue Building Materials? I thought you stayed in D City because of that!"
Juyue Building Materials, Ruan Huyue’s core company, was in trouble?
Qin Juran quickly went to her office, turned on her computer, and searched online. Several news outlets reported that there had been an accident at a bridge construction site in D City, the supplier being Juyue Group. Fortunately, no one had been injured, as the area was deserted at the time, but the problem seemed to lie with the raw materials supplied by Juyue.
Qin Juran investigated further. As expected, Juyue's stock price had plummeted in the past week. Several articles, some claiming inside information, used sensational terms like "shoddy construction," "substandard materials," and "asset hiding," painting a grim picture.
A large corporation like Juyue was bound to have rivals waiting for an opportunity to pounce. Once a crack appeared, everyone rushed to exploit it.
And knowing Ruan Huyue and Gu Ying's management style, Qin Juran suspected that many of the accusations weren't entirely baseless. Past misdeeds, once hidden, were now coming to light.
The accident was recent, and Ruan Nan hadn’t mentioned it, which meant Ruan Huyue hadn't told her. That made sense; Ruan Nan had never been involved in the family business, so there was no need to burden her with this.
"Ju Ju, Ju Ju," Huang Ying called out, snapping her fingers.
Qin Juran returned to the present. Huang Ying asked worriedly, "Does Nan Jie know yet?"
Qin Juran shook her head. "Ah Ruan isn't close to her family. Her stepmother controls half of the company's operations.”
"Oh, I see..." Huang Ying had only known Ruan Nan as the heiress to Juyue, unaware of her family dynamics.
"Are you going to do anything, Ju Ju? Or tell Nan Jie?"
Qin Juran shook her head. "Juyue Group's assets and influence are far greater than ours, and our businesses are unrelated. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t help them.”
Huang Ying nodded. Ever the information hub, Qin Juran asked her to keep an eye out for any news related to Juyue.
Shortly after Huang Ying left, Zhou Ziqing called. More level-headed than Lin Wei, he had also contacted Qin Juran as soon as he heard the news.
Qin Juran reiterated her stance, and Zhou Ziqing, having known Ruan Nan since high school and being familiar with her father and stepmother, agreed. Any concern or sympathy they felt was for Ruan Nan, not Ruan Huyue.
"Qin Juran," Zhou Ziqing asked, "I'm worried about how this will affect Nan Jie.”
Qin Juran thought for a moment. "With Juyue's stock plummeting, Ruan Huyue will have to find a way to plug the hole. Worst case scenario..."
She didn't say it, but for a company like Juyue, if the situation escalated, bankruptcy was a possibility.
Zhou Ziqing was silent for a moment. "Juran, Nan Jie… she was always Juyue’s heiress. She’s used to a certain lifestyle.”
He meant that, despite her strained relationship with her father and stepmother, Ruan Nan had never lacked anything materially.
"With me, she can always be Mrs. Qin," Qin Juran replied firmly.
She hung up the phone.
Qin Juran kept a close eye on the news about Juyue Group. The financial world was vast, yet interconnected, each city's business circles intertwined. Ruan Huyue's group was headquartered in D City, but it had branches across the country, including in S City and A City, its influence significant.
One evening, as Qin Juran was leaving the office, she saw a black Bentley Mulsanne parked downstairs.
She hadn’t seen him since their last unpleasant encounter.
She had given Qin Yuan a choice: accept his "flawed" daughter or focus on her "business value." He had chosen the latter.
After the Fatty Sun incident, despite her investigation, all Qin Juran could determine was that Qin Yuan had intervened on her behalf. But whether it was out of concern for her or fear of her revealing their relationship and damaging his reputation, she would never know for sure.
What could have brought him here today...?
Qin Juran adjusted her shirt cuffs and walked towards the car. It wasn’t Qin Yuan who emerged, but Mr. Wang. The Bentley’s back windows were tinted, so she couldn’t see if anyone was inside.
"We meet again, Miss Qin. Or should I say, President Qin?" Mr. Wang extended his hand.
Qin Juran shook his hand briefly.
Mr. Wang didn't waste time on pleasantries. "No one’s in the back. CEO Qin is at an international conference."
Qin Juran's gaze returned to the car. "Still concerned about domestic affairs while abroad. How thoughtful of CEO Qin."
Mr. Wang smiled faintly, his expression meaningful. "And thank you, President Qin, for not walking away at the sight of the car. I’ll be frank. I’m here on CEO Qin’s behalf. He asked me to tell you that Ruan Huyue’s situation is serious. The compensation could cripple Juyue financially. And as far as we know, Juyue has already suffered significant losses due to some previous issues. Their actual profitability is uncertain. So, stay out of it.”
He finished in one breath, and Qin Juran finally understood, letting out a soft "tsk."
Qin Yuan didn't know the true nature of Ruan Nan's relationship with her father. He assumed that, with her father in trouble, Ruan Nan would be worried, and Qin Juran might try to help.
So he was warning Qin Juran not to waste her time and resources on a lost cause.
Still focused on "value.”
Qin Juran let out a humorless laugh, almost a scoff. "Please tell CEO Qin that Ruan Nan isn't close to her father or stepmother, so we're not involved, nor do we have the capacity to be. He needn't worry.”
Her expression was almost contemptuous, yet her words were sincere, leaving Mr. Wang unsure of her true intentions. He continued, "So, President Qin, what are your plans?"
Qin Juran raised an eyebrow. "Go home, shower, review documents, sleep, then go to work. Would you like a more detailed itinerary, Mr. Wang?"
Mr. Wang, sensing her sarcasm, said awkwardly, "President Qin, there's no need to play coy. With Ruan Huyue’s company in trouble, Miss Ruan will inevitably be affected financially. I don’t need to explain what that means for a startup, do I? Miss Qin—”
He changed his form of address.
"If you were given another chance to return to CEO Qin’s family, would you still refuse?"
He looked at Qin Juran, his small eyes gleaming behind his glasses. Under the lights of Xinghui Tower, his expression was calculating, as if determined not to lose out on a potentially lucrative deal.
Qin Juran scoffed, turning slightly. A fleeting shadow in the tinted window of the Bentley caught her eye.
Mr. Wang, misinterpreting her reaction as an attempt to negotiate, smiled even wider. "If you like, Miss Qin, I can give you the car keys right now, on CEO Qin’s behalf. After all—"
"After all, I’m the eldest daughter, the only one who can bring him 'face'?" Qin Juran smiled, then, to Mr. Wang's astonishment, she walked over to the Bentley and kicked the rear tire.
She kicked hard, the sleek car rocking slightly, her stiletto heel almost puncturing the tire. The force of the kick almost made her lose her balance.
Mr. Wang stared at her, stunned. Qin Juran took a deep breath, turned to him, her voice rising in anger. "Let me tell you, Qin Yuan, I'm with Ruan Nan not because she’s some rich heiress, not because of what she can offer me financially. If you ever try to analyze me with such a narrow-minded perspective again, I’ll sue you for defamation. I said Ruan Nan isn't close to her father, and I’ll say the same to you. You’re no different from him.”
"And if you’re helping me because you're afraid I’ll expose our relationship, that I’ll reveal your indifference and damage your reputation, you needn't bother.”
"Because in my life, Qin Haotian and Zuo Yanzhen’s feelings are worth more than all of Chengmao Group's assets combined. ”
Qin Juran poured out all her pent-up frustration, her words raw and unfiltered, no longer holding back.
Before Mr. Wang could react, she kicked the tire again, even harder this time, and walked away without looking back.
After Qin Juran drove away, the window of the Bentley rolled down. Mr. Wang stood there, flustered, as the man in the back, impeccably dressed in a suit, watched Qin Juran's retreating figure, unable to speak.
In D City, at Chengyan Manor.
In the luxurious villa, the crystal chandelier seemed to tremble in the tense atmosphere.
"How many times have I told you he's unreliable? Why did you use him?!" Ruan Huyue slammed his hand on the armrest of the sofa.
Gu Ying sat beside him, wiping away her tears. "Ruan Huyue, do you even look like a man right now? At a time like this, you’re blaming me?"
"Time and time again, from last year until now, how much of Juyue's assets are left, do you even know?! The company was already in a precarious position, and now this! What am I supposed to do? Wait for bankruptcy?!"
Gu Ying started crying again. Juyue, since its inception, had never faced such a crisis.
Ruan Huyue was furious. "Thank god the accident happened in a remote area and no one was killed! If there had been casualties, we wouldn’t even have a roof over our heads!”
Gu Ying looked up at him, her eyes fierce. "That's not going to happen. Ruan Huyue, I'm telling you, Juyue won’t fall. We’re not going to lose everything! This family will not be ruined!”
Ruan Huyue sighed, his body trembling. "I've already contacted the bank about mortgaging the house. We’ll pay the compensation first. As for the company... we’ll do what we can and hope for the best.”
He looked years older, the weight of the situation heavy on him. He knew better than anyone that Juyue’s success had been a facade in recent years. After an incident like this, no one could save them.
As he was about to go upstairs, Gu Ying stood up. "I remember you saying that Ruan Nan's mother left her a trust fund. You’ve been managing it all these years, haven’t you?"
Ruan Huyue turned around, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What are you talking about? What are you planning?"
Gu Ying, no longer bothering with pretense, her voice cold and calculating, said, "What am I planning? Ruan Huyue, let me ask you, is Ruan Nan your daughter? Do you think she can continue living like a princess, flaunting her wealth at school, while her father’s company is collapsing? She’s about to graduate! What kind of future will she have with this scandal hanging over her head?”
Ruan Huyue's face turned red with anger. He grabbed an ashtray from the table and smashed it on the floor. "If you ever say another word against Nan Nan, I’ll—"
The shattering of the ashtray was followed by a child’s cries from the bedroom, the cries growing louder until a three-year-old boy ran out, crying, "Daddy! Mommy!"
Gu Ying sobbed even louder, clutching her son protectively. "Don’t cry, A Hua! Mommy's here, Mommy's here!”
The shattered ashtray, the dim lights, the cries of his wife and son, the chaos in his luxurious villa, it all crashed down on Ruan Huyue, a suffocating weight.
He felt dizzy, barely able to stand. He stumbled into the bedroom and sat heavily on the bed, his hands buried in his hair.
After a while, the bedroom light turned on. Gu Ying entered, her tears gone, her usual gentle demeanor restored.
"Is A Hua asleep?”
Gu Ying nodded.
She walked over, knelt in front of Ruan Huyue, and took his hands in hers. "Husband, do you know there's a girl who's very close to Nan Nan?"
Ruan Huyue thought for a moment. "That Qin Juran girl?"
"Yes, she started her own MCN company, and Nan Nan has been helping her.”
Seeing the hopeful, almost desperate look in Gu Ying's eyes, Ruan Huyue thought she was losing it. He chuckled humorlessly. "It's just a student's plaything, a small company. Less than a million invested, I’d wager. Do you really think they can help us?"
Gu Ying shook her head, her gaze firm. "Husband, haven't you been trying to connect with Qin Yuan of Chengmao Group? That Qin Juran… she has a special relationship with Qin Yuan.”
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