Jiang Dehai grabbed her, "Enough, don't try to pull the wool over my eyes. Everyone knows Murong Cheng is madly in love with you, even to the point of falling out with his stepmother. Your word carries more weight than mine a hundred times over. Today, no matter what, you have to help me convey a message to Murong Cheng. If the company doesn't turn a profit soon, I'll... At the end of the workday, Jiang Shiyu received a WeChat message from Murong Cheng.
Murong Cheng had taken Ruo Ruo and Che Che back to the old residence and would return later. She then drove her car back to Jing Garden.
As soon as her car stopped, she saw an uninvited guest standing outside the gate.
It was Jiang Dehai.
Jiang Shiyu's grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly.
She sat in the car for a moment before opening the door and getting out.
Upon seeing Jiang Shiyu, Jiang Dehai walked down the steps. "So you've become the young mistress of the Murong family, quite the airs you put on. You don't even answer your father's phone calls anymore. Is that proper? I called you so many times, and you didn't pick up a single one! Are you trying to drive me to my grave!"
"Too bad I didn't succeed."
"Are you threatening me?"
Seeing the situation, Jiang Shiyu no longer bothered to pretend or put on an act with Jiang Dehai.
"You know my current status. Handing the company over to you is already the utmost benevolence. What else do you want? I can't give you that much. You know exactly how you treated me and my mother when we were in the Jiang family!"
The mention of her mother seemed to strike a nerve, and Jiang Dehai flew into a rage.
He slapped Jiang Shiyu across the face.
Jiang Shiyu couldn't dodge in time, and Jiang Dehai's fingernails scratched her cheek.
A sharp pain instantly shot through her cheek.
Fortunately, the area wasn't large, just a scratch or two.
But they were deep, with a small piece of flesh scraped away, and blood immediately seeped out.
"I'll make you pay for this slap tenfold!"
Jiang Shiyu covered her cheek and turned to go inside.
She slammed the door shut and, without changing her shoes, went into the living room to find the first-aid kit.
The disinfectant stung the broken skin, almost bringing tears to her eyes.
After enduring the pain and treating the wound, the housekeeper returned.
"There was a man standing outside just now, it scared me to death. Madam, are you alright?"
The housekeeper spoke in her familiar Haicheng dialect, carrying freshly bought groceries.
Jiang Shiyu had already applied a bandage. "I'm fine, it was probably just a neighborhood security guard. Don't worry about it."
Staring at the disinfectant in her hand, the housekeeper chattered about various gossip while cooking.
Jiang Shiyu's thoughts drifted.
If it weren't for Ruo Feng, she might have almost given up.
She would get back all the suffering and torment she endured in the Jiang family over the years!
That night, with the man beside her asleep, Jiang Shiyu got up, opened Murong Cheng's laptop, and clicked on a folder.
The computer was filled with important files, contracts, and various work spreadsheets.
Jiang Shiyu searched for files related to Derong Company.
As expected, Derong's revenue had been declining ever since Ling Sheng acquired it.
Although backed by Ling Sheng, Derong wouldn't go bankrupt even without business dealings.
However, Derong was a joint-stock company. The thirty percent of shares her maternal grandfather held before his death were all in Jiang Dehai's hands.
If there were revenue, then the company's dividends would be distributed according to the shareholding system.
With no revenue at all, Jiang Dehai received no income other than his basic salary.
A basic salary of twenty to thirty thousand yuan was already a high level for a normal person, but for Jiang Dehai, who was accustomed to delicacies, it was not even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.
No wonder Jiang Yurou had been drinking instant coffee lately.
In the past, Jiang Yurou wouldn't touch anything that wasn't hand-ground coffee.
Derong's current state was not without Murong Cheng's contribution.
Jiang Shiyu chuckled, closed the folder, and then shut down the laptop.
Jiang Dehai was clearly pushed to his wits' end, and he had been persistently blocking the entrance to Jing Garden for days.
Jiang Shiyu had to drive to the underground garage and enter her home from there.
Jiang Dehai waited and waited, but seeing that Jiang Shiyu didn't appear, he left on his own.
The phone calls continued relentlessly.
After a few days of this attrition, Jiang Shiyu slowly picked up her phone, took a sip of the hot cocoa in her hand.
"I've considered what you said."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Dehai was overjoyed. "Really? You've thought about it?"
Then his tone turned grim, "Hmph! It serves you right. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Even though you married Murong Cheng, you're still part of the Jiang family. Don't turn your back on your own family. Doing things for the family is what you should be doing!"
"Also, your sister is not young anymore. The Murong family has so many young and outstanding men. You're enjoying yourself, but don't forget your sister. If your sister can also marry into the Murong family and become a wealthy wife, then you two sisters can support each other in the future! Don't be so selfish!"
Jiang Dehai lectured her sternly.
Jiang Shiyu could only laugh, her expression unchanged as she hung up the phone.
Selfish?
He had occupied her maternal grandfather's assets and lived in luxury for so many years, yet he dared to call her selfish.
Layers of coldness appeared in Jiang Shiyu's eyes.
She put down her phone, picked up some freeze-dried chicken, and went to tease the small kitten sleeping in its nest nearby.
The kitten smelled the chicken and stumbled over, following Jiang Shiyu's teasing towards her.
Jiang Shiyu picked up the kitten and fed it the freeze-dried chicken.
The kitten feasted on the freeze-dried chicken.
Jiang Shiyu stroked the kitten's soft fur, lost in thought.
Derong Company.
As Li Mei walked out of the company's main entrance, a woman approached her. The woman looked very familiar, and Li Mei couldn't help but take a second look. To her surprise, it was Jiang Shiyu.
"You... why are you here?!"
This was the first time Li Mei had seen Jiang Shiyu at Derong.
Jiang Shiyu stopped and took off her sunglasses.
This was also her first visit since her maternal grandfather passed away.
She couldn't remember how long it had been. Derong Tower still looked the same as in her memory, but compared to the new, modern buildings built around it, it appeared somewhat dated due to the passage of time.
"Long time no see, Auntie."
Jiang Shiyu smiled slightly, hiding the myriad emotions in her eyes.
Li Mei was surprised and taken aback. She didn't react immediately. When she did, she quickly said with a smile, "Are you here to talk about work with your father? Do you remember where your father's office is? I'll take you up!"
She probably knew why Jiang Shiyu had come.
"No need. You should go home and rest early. I can go up by myself."
After speaking, Jiang Shiyu walked directly into Derong Tower.
When she was little, she always thought this building was so grand and magnificent. Coming back as an adult, she found it wasn't as big as she remembered. Compared to the grand and luxurious Ling Sheng Group, it seemed much smaller.
Jiang Shiyu pressed the elevator button and went directly to the tenth floor.