Chapter Eighteen: You Hardly Look Like a Chairman

At eight o’clock in the evening, Lin Yi arrived at the Linda Group’s branch office in the city center.

He hadn’t even stepped inside when two women came out, chatting and laughing. Among them was someone Lin Yi recognized: his former classmate and one-time blind date, Yang Mo.

Their eyes met at the same moment. Yang Mo looked slightly surprised, then sneered, “Lin Yi, why aren’t you working at the bar? What are you doing here?”

The girl beside Yang Mo asked, “You know him?”

Yang Mo rolled her eyes, “Just a country bumpkin who keeps pestering me. I told him it’s impossible, but he’s so thick-skinned he followed me here.”

Lin Yi said nothing, simply striding toward the entrance.

Yang Mo’s expression darkened; she quickly blocked his way, scolding, “Is this a place you can just walk into?”

“Oh? Why can’t I?” Lin Yi asked with a faint smile.

Back in school, his impression of Yang Mo had been positive—simple and kind-hearted. He hadn’t expected that a few years in society would turn her so snobbish.

Yang Mo raised her chin, “Isn’t it obvious? Only elites work here. You’re just a country bumpkin. Go look in the mirror.”

“You’re fired,” Lin Yi said flatly.

Yang Mo looked as if she’d heard the funniest joke. She scoffed, “Is something wrong with your brain? I work for Linda Group. Who do you think you are to fire me?”

“You don’t believe me?” Lin Yi looked her in the eye.

“Get lost, or I’ll call security.” Yang Mo was impatient. In her eyes, Lin Yi was just a poor loser from the sticks, not worth another glance.

Just then, a Maserati rolled to a stop at the street corner. Out stepped a tall, curvaceous beauty with mixed features, dressed in a sharp black business outfit.

Yang Mo immediately replaced her scowl with a beaming smile. “Miss Angel, what brings you here?”

This beautiful woman was Angel, the secretary to Linda Group’s owner, Wu Da. Although just a secretary, she wielded considerable power, representing the company’s top leadership. Even the branch’s chairman would be dismissed without protest if she said so.

Yang Mo had once been fortunate enough to witness Angel chatting and laughing with the company’s upper management, a scene that had left her envious.

Angel merely glanced at Yang Mo and walked right past her. Her heels clicked elegantly as she strode over to Lin Yi. “Mr. Lin, hello. I’m Angel. The boss asked me to deliver this—your Group Black Card.”

Angel spoke respectfully, showing no disdain for Lin Yi’s simple attire.

The Group Black Card symbolized the highest authority within Linda Group, granting its holder the power to hire or fire anyone and access any of the company’s funds at will. There were only two such cards in the entire group: one with the current owner, Wu Da, and the other now with the man before her.

Most people weren’t aware of the group’s true leadership, but Angel, always at Wu Da’s side, knew there was a power behind the throne.

“Thank you,” Lin Yi replied casually, pocketing the card.

Yang Mo and her companion stood there, dumbfounded.

Lin Yi glanced at Yang Mo and asked Angel, “Can I fire her directly?”

Though he was speaking to Angel, it was clear the question was meant for Yang Mo.

“Absolutely. You can even dismiss the chairman of this branch if you wish,” Angel replied.

Yang Mo was stunned. She hadn’t imagined Lin Yi was so well connected, able to associate with someone like Angel.

She quickly stammered, “Lin Yi, you can’t fire me.”

But Lin Yi didn’t even look at her as he strode into the building.

Angel shook her head. She’d seen enough to guess the gist of what had happened. “True elites aren’t defined by words,” she said, then hurried after Lin Yi.

“Good evening, sir. May I help you?” the receptionist asked.

“Gather all the company’s leadership here,” Lin Yi instructed.

The receptionist blinked, as if she’d misheard.

Then Angel’s pleasant voice intervened. “What are you waiting for? Do as Mr. Lin says—notify all the executives.”

Now recognizing Angel, the receptionist nodded quickly. “Yes, of course.”

Thanks to Angel’s presence, it wasn’t long before the company’s suited executives assembled in the conference room.

Angel took the central seat, flanked by the branch chairman and vice chairman.

“Miss Angel, it’s rather late. Why have you called us all here?” asked Wang Hongquan, his arm in a cast, his gaze roving over Angel with ill-concealed greed.

The others were equally curious. Angel’s personal involvement suggested something significant was happening.

Angel’s eyes swept over Wang Hongquan, her brows arching slightly. “Is everyone here?”

The chairman, a portly man, replied, “Miss Angel, a few department managers are on leave.”

“Fine. Notify them that they needn’t bother coming to work anymore,” Angel said coldly, sending a chill through the room.

Though stunningly beautiful, Angel was known for her ruthless decisiveness—firing people without a moment’s hesitation.

“Which one of you is Wang Hongquan?” Angel continued.

“I am!” he stood up.

His brother-in-law was the head of the Jiang Province branch, and had promised him a managerial position in R&D soon—a cushy job that would double his salary even if he did nothing. Wang Hongquan assumed Angel’s visit was to deliver this good news, and he was secretly pleased.

“From this moment on, you’re fired,” said Angel.

Wang Hongquan’s eyes bulged. “Miss Angel, you must be mistaken. Why would I be fired?”

Angel smirked. “You’ve deceived your superiors and bullied your subordinates. As recruitment manager, you undermined the department and drove away talent. How many good employees have you forced out?”

Wang Hongquan’s face stiffened, but he stubbornly protested, “That’s not true, Miss Angel. These are just rumors.”

“Rumors?” Angel’s smile turned icy. “I’ve also heard you abused your authority to harass female employees.”

Now Wang Hongquan’s face drained of color. He wasn’t stupid—there were plenty of shady characters in the company, but he alone was singled out. Clearly, someone with real power had decided to deal with him. But who could this be? Even his brother-in-law wouldn’t dare cross Angel.

“You’ll be investigated for the losses you’ve caused the company. The inquiry begins tomorrow,” Angel announced.

Wang Hongquan slumped into his chair, having come expecting a promotion, only to leave in disgrace.

No one dared speak up for him. Angel’s resolute manner frightened everyone—they worried a single wrong word could cost them their jobs as well.

“Miss Angel, may I ask who’s behind this?” Wang Hongquan’s voice was hoarse, all his former bravado gone.

“No need to ask—it’s me.”

The door hadn’t opened, but the voice carried into the room.

Wang Hongquan found the voice familiar, yet couldn’t place it.

Bang.

The door swung open and a plain-looking man walked in, utterly calm and composed.

“It’s you!” Wang Hongquan’s eyes reddened.

“That’s right,” Lin Yi replied, as Angel vacated the central seat for him.

Lin Yi took the seat without hesitation.

“You little punk, what right do you have to sit there?” Wang Hongquan was livid. He’d always dismissed Lin Yi as an insignificant nobody, never imagining he’d be toppled by the very person he’d looked down on.

“Enough,” Angel snapped. “Mr. Lin is currently the chairman of the Jiang Province branch. If he’s not qualified, are you?”

The other executives exchanged glances. They’d thought Angel was the main figure in this drama, but clearly someone else was in charge.

“Impossible! If he’s chairman, what about my brother-in-law?” Wang Hongquan demanded.

“What’s impossible about it? Neither of you are clean. You’ve both been removed,” Angel replied.

“I don’t believe it!”

Wang Hongquan, eyes blazing, lunged at Angel.

But Angel’s eyes turned cold. With a swift spinning kick, she struck Wang Hongquan in the face, sending him flying and knocking him out.

Two security guards quickly dragged him away.

The others were left in awe. Not only was Angel ruthless, but she was skilled in martial arts as well. With Wang Hongquan’s downfall and his patron gone, his fate was sealed.

Lin Yi, never one for formalities, quickly delegated the remaining issues to Angel and strolled out.

He checked his phone—over a dozen missed calls from Cai Qing.

After a moment’s thought, he called her back.

“Are you alright?” Cai Qing asked.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about Sun Lei—I’ve taken care of everything,” Lin Yi replied.

Cai Qing breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Lin Yi.”

The next day, half of Jiang Province was in an uproar.

Overnight, the head of Linda Group’s provincial branch had been replaced.

Many small families sought to make connections, but the new chairman was a mystery—he’d only made a fleeting appearance in Lancheng.

At breakfast, Lin Doudou sipped her soy milk and remarked, “Lin Yi, have you seen the news? Linda Group’s chairman for Jiang Province has changed.”

“Oh?” Lin Yi nodded.

“They say the new chairman is right here in Lancheng. I wonder what he looks like,” Lin Doudou mused.

“He probably looks a lot like me,” Lin Yi said with a soft smile.

Lin Doudou rolled her big eyes. “Yeah, right. You don’t look like a chairman at all.”