“If he really wants to rely on himself—”
Xie Jinghu snorted heavily.
If this rebellious son truly wanted to rely on his own abilities, he shouldn’t have used his money to buy land. Let’s see him start from nothing!
Grandma Xie glared at Xie Jinghu, and he held back further sarcasm.
Beneath the surface calm, Xie Jinghu’s mind was racing.
He had to admit, Xie Qian had an eye for people.
Xie Qian had found two capable managers, Gong Sheng and Ma Wufeng—one expanding business, the other handling internal affairs. They worked well together and, with the advantage of location, Xie Qian’s small logistics company was gaining a reputation.
Reputation was vital for any business. With it, clients came knocking without effort.
Given a few years, the company’s business and scale would snowball.
Others might be proud of such a son, but for Xie Jinghu, it only sparked a sense of crisis.
Xie Qian could be a perfect academic, but not a talented manager.
If Xie Qian became a skilled manager, Xie Jinghu feared being replaced!
This was a deeply buried fear, perhaps not even fully realized by Xie Jinghu, but subconsciously, he kept thwarting Xie Qian’s success.
Hearing Xie Qian rejected the big orders, Xie Jinghu secretly felt it was a pity.
The orders he’d arranged for Xie Qian’s company weren’t easy to handle!
Sometimes, deals offered willingly weren’t out of kindness.
On the surface, the orders Xie Jinghu sent were flawless, as he didn’t dare tamper with them under his brother Xie Yuping’s scrutiny.
Xie Jinghu had calculated that Xie Qian’s fledgling company couldn’t handle big orders. If they greedily took them without the capacity, the company would falter.
Xie Jinghu had tried to poach Gong Sheng and Ma Wufeng, but for some reason, they were set on working with Xie Qian, rejecting higher salaries.
Xie Jinghu was baffled. He couldn’t exactly announce he was Xie Qian’s father and that working for him was better than following his son, could he?
If the company hit trouble, those two might leave on their own without Xie Jinghu’s interference.
Yet Xie Qian didn’t fall for it and rejected the orders.
While disappointed, Xie Jinghu saw an opportunity—Xie Qian’s heated clash with Gong Sheng over the orders. Would Gong Sheng resent spitting out such a juicy deal?
Resentment was good!
And this rebellious son looked exhausted, clearly struggling with interpersonal relations.
In business, it’s sometimes about people, not just work. With his arrogant nature, Xie Qian didn’t even respect his own father, let alone keep others loyal long-term.
Hiding his true thoughts, Xie Jinghu calmly agreed to Xie Qian’s request, “Fine, if you don’t want my help, I won’t meddle in your company’s growth. Don’t blame me whether it succeeds or fails.”
“You’d better keep your word.”
Xie Qian seized on his words, “If this happens again, whether with good intentions or not, our agreement is void.”
The agreement was about the Shanghai land achieving a 20% annual return. If not, Xie Qian would study abroad as Xie Jinghu wanted.
This was a bet Xie Qian was willing to take.
But if Xie Jinghu interfered with the company again, Xie Qian could nullify the deal!
Xie Qian wasn’t worried about failing the 20% return; he was deliberately provoking Xie Jinghu, knowing anger would cloud his judgment, paving the way for Xie Qian’s next move.
Xie Jinghu’s face darkened, and Grandma Xie, fearing another clash, changed the subject, “Isn’t your mom running a writing contest in Chengdu? I heard it’s quite big, but there was some criticism earlier. Does she need family help?”
“No need, Grandma. It’s resolved now. The contest is going well, and Mom’s doing great. The doctor says the environment aids her recovery, so I support her work and hope she isn’t affected by certain people or things.”
Who were “certain people”?
This rebellious son!
Xie Jinghu was subtly jabbed again but couldn’t retort in front of Grandma Xie, feeling stifled and frustrated.
Grandma Xie nodded repeatedly, “Good to know your mom’s doing well. Take care of her in Chengdu.”
Just moments ago, she’d urged Xie Qian to return to Beijing, but now she wavered. Grandma Xie’s stance was unsteady when it came to her beloved grandson, which was why Xie Jinghu kept such a close watch.
If he wasn’t around and Xie Qian sweet-talked her, what if Grandma Xie impulsively transferred her remaining shares to him?
Xie Qian had already secured 5% of the shares.
If he got Grandma’s remaining shares, it would total 8%!
That wasn’t enough to shake Xie Jinghu’s position, but it was enough to make him uneasy.
Xie Qian could legitimately claim Jinhu’s shares, while Xie Jinghu’s other children abroad weren’t recognized by the Xie family. If Xie Qian amassed significant assets, what would become of the mother and two children abroad?
Xie Jinghu watched Xie Qian like a hawk guarding against a thief.
Xie Qian stayed in Beijing for two days with Grandma Xie, and Xie Jinghu watched him for two days.
Xie Qian found it amusing.
If he wanted Grandma’s shares, did he need to ask in person? A phone call would do.
On the day Xie Qian left Beijing, Xie Jinghu and his assistant personally drove him to the airport. Without Grandma Xie to mediate, there wasn’t a hint of warmth between father and son.
In the car, Xie Jinghu broke the silence, “Your mom’s illness seems better. Is it meaningful for her to stay in Chengdu doing publishing? If she wants to do something, Beijing has plenty of opportunities.”
Xie Qian replied with a cold smile, “I think Chengdu’s great. The people there are good, they don’t upset her. Work is about making her happy, not about how much money she earns.”
This suited Xie Jinghu’s taste.
For women, a stellar career was a bonus, but it didn’t matter if it wasn’t. It didn’t affect the big picture!
Take Zou Weijun’s publishing venture—it made waves but wasn’t a big earner.
But if her career kept rising, it could polish Xie Jinghu’s image. Wealthy businessmen often sought to shed their nouveau riche aura, which was why some targeted the cultural scene for wives—
The contempt on Xie Jinghu’s face was palpable.
For a moment, Xie Qian felt genuine disgust.
If a man didn’t appreciate a woman, why marry her?
It was clear this marriage was a mistake from the start. Xie Jinghu married his mother out of utility, not admiration!
But no matter. Now, Xie Qian’s attitude toward Xie Jinghu was equally utilitarian, devoid of respect.
That thought was oddly comforting.
He just wondered when Zhao Dong would pass the “intelligence” to Xie Jinghu, letting him smoothly take over the film company.
