Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Is Sun Dasheng a Freeloader?
No wonder I got slapped around earlier.
I completely deserved it. It’s a testament to my boss’s restraint that he didn’t just have me killed on the spot.
So, Xu Yongsheng forced a smile and said, "No wonder Miss Xiang is so beautiful! So she’s your daughter, Manager Xiang. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. It takes an outstanding man like yourself to raise such an exceptional daughter."
Xiang Yunsheng quite enjoyed the flattery, and a slight smile touched his lips as his earlier displeasure vanished like smoke.
This kid sure knows how to talk.
Xiang Yiren, who had been nestled in Sun Dasheng’s arms, stood up. Her face was stern and her tone icy as she said, "Sir, just because we share a surname doesn’t give you the right to spout nonsense. There are plenty of people with the surname Xiang. Are you going to claim every young woman you meet is your daughter? How ridiculous!"
Xiang Yunsheng’s expression darkened. He glanced at Sun Dasheng beside her and said, "Yiren, it’s fine if you don’t acknowledge me as your father. But you have to stay away from this guy. He’s a jinx. Anyone who gets close to him suffers from bad luck."
Xiang Yiren laughed in exasperation. She took Sun Dasheng’s arm, affectionately resting her head on his shoulder. "Who I choose to be with is my business. It’s not for an outsider like you to stick your nose in."
His daughter before him was like a hedgehog, every quill pricking his old heart and leaving it ice-cold. Then, his eyes landed on the lecherous hand wrapped around her slender waist, and Xiang Yunsheng’s anger flared. He directed his fire at the hand’s owner, "You, Sun Dasheng! If you have any guts, stop hiding behind a woman! What kind of man are you? Back at the company, your obedience was just a facade. It turns out you’re nothing but a kept man who acts tough. You have no abilities of your own and have to rely on a woman. You’re a disgrace to all men!"
Xu Yongsheng quickly chimed in, "Exactly! Manager Xiang is right! Sun Dasheng is a disgrace to Xiaoju Technology! I’m ashamed to have ever been his apprentice."
"Interesting, very interesting." Releasing Xiang Yiren, Sun Dasheng began to clap. He laughed and said, "Such a fine display of righteousness. And what’s this about a ’kept man living off a woman’?"
"Hmph! At least you know your place," Xiang Yunsheng sneered, thinking he had hit a nerve and made Sun Dasheng lose his temper.
"And yet," Sun Dasheng continued lightly, "hearing that from a live-in son-in-law who abandoned his own wife and child... doesn’t that sound just a little bit comical?"
Sun Dasheng’s casual remark froze the triumphant expression on Xiang Yunsheng’s face. It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck his mind.
How could he know something so secret? he wondered, his eyes flicking to Xiang Yiren. Did she tell him everything?
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Xiang Yunsheng snapped, clearly flustered. "This is a society ruled by law! The consequences for spreading rumors are severe! I advise you, young man, to think before you speak. Don’t make an irreversible mistake in a moment of foolishness."
Standing beside him, Xu Yongsheng felt the panic radiating from his boss.
If the secret hadn’t been exposed, he wouldn’t be reacting like this. A terrible thought surfaced in his mind. Could what Sun Dasheng said be true?
In that instant, the lofty, god-like image he held of his boss shattered and fell from its pedestal. Though he would still have to obey his boss’s orders, the reverence he once felt was gone forever.
So, you’re not so special after all.
"Manager Xiang, we came here to discuss a partnership," Xu Yongsheng said, skillfully shifting the increasingly dangerous topic.
As much as I’d love to watch this drama unfold, finishing my task and keeping my job comes first.
However, Xiang Yiren showed him no courtesy whatsoever. "A partnership? Not a chance. Please leave immediately. You’re not welcome here."
You dare to humiliate my sugar daddy and still think you can talk business with me? Dream on.
Hearing this, Xu Yongsheng didn’t panic. He was confident his next words would make her change her mind. "Miss Xiang, please don’t be so quick to refuse," he said. "Our company’s live-streaming department has an influencer project called ’Sunshine Boys and Girls,’ and we need to use your gym’s equipment. Our two companies are a perfect match. Cooperating would be mutually beneficial and would also boost your gym’s brand recognition, don’t you think?"
"Oh? So if I’m hearing you right, you want to use our gym for free?" Xiang Yiren’s focus was on a different point.
Xu Yongsheng grew anxious. "How can you call it ’using it for free’? When we stream, we’ll feature your gym’s logo prominently. It’s the equivalent of you paying for advertising! The ad fee and our equipment usage fee would cancel each other out. Isn’t that a perfect arrangement?"
Xiang Yiren wasn’t fooled by the empty promises he was making. "Please! Let’s not even talk about whether your so-called ’project’ will attract any viewers. If there’s no traffic, your words are just hot air, and our company will be left to bear all the losses, is that it? And even if you do attract a decent audience, your viewers will be from all over the country. We’re just a small chain of gyms based in Shanghai City. How many local customers do you really think we can attract just by showing our logo? It’s impossible to say. So, we reject this partnership."
Xiang Yiren’s analysis was clear and well-reasoned, leaving Xu Yongsheng stumped. He looked to his silent boss, Xiang Yunsheng, his eyes pleading.
Boss, I’m out of ideas. It’s on you now.
As a professional manager, Xiang Yunsheng quickly regained his composure. "Yiren, don’t let your personal feelings about that man cloud your business judgment."
But the moment he spoke, that condescending, paternal tone set Xiang Yiren off. Like an enraged kitten with its fur on end, she shouted, "So what if I’m being emotional? What’s it to you? Who are you to tell me what to do? Don’t use that tone with me, I can’t stand it. Go find someone who can! You’re not welcome here!"
Xiang Yunsheng was speechless. The person opposite him was his own daughter. What could he do? He could certainly draw on his decades of slick corporate maneuvering to handle her, but could he bring himself to use such tactics on his own child?
Swallowing his pride, he had no choice but to appeal to Sun Dasheng. "This partnership is a beneficial opportunity for both sides. Yiren won’t listen to me right now, so if you truly care about her, I hope you’ll try to persuade her. If this succeeds, she’ll definitely earn her boss’s recognition and move up in her career. And you’ll be able to stay by her side and reap more benefits, wouldn’t you?"
Xiang Yunsheng had to force those words out. In truth, this project was a desperate proposal from their department to their superiors—a last-ditch effort to salvage their declining performance numbers. Whether it would actually succeed, only heaven knew. The grand promises made to Xiang Yiren were just as hollow as he knew them to be. But they had no choice. The plan was approved, but with minimal funding; the higher-ups were clearly treating it as a shot in the dark. They had already approached other gyms in the area, and, unsurprisingly, all of them had refused. This place was their last hope.