The Self-Cultivation of a Reborn Massage Therapist

Chapter 471 Trouble
Zhou Yaqin held her teacup and pondered for a moment before slowly speaking:
“Director Liu, we have never truly closed down. In the talent apartment and rehabilitation center, patients with moderate to severe CFS and guests who have booked treatments are still receiving our services. This is also something that your government has been cooperating with to promote.”

Director Liu shook his head with a wry smile:

"Mr. Zhou, even if you lay these things out in front of those people, they will just pretend they don't see them!"

What they need is not the charity work the massage parlors are doing for free, but the legitimate work they're doing for a fee!

Zhou Yaqin remained silent. Director Liu looked at her and suddenly said, "Actually, there is another way that can completely solve all the problems."

"What method?" Zhou Yaqin asked, raising her eyes.

"Let Little Hammer handle this," Director Liu said in a deep voice.

Zhou Yaqin stared blankly at Director Liu, then suddenly chuckled: "That kid asked me the same question when he faced the ugly donkey last time. My answer was the same as yours: step in to communicate, be willing to make concessions, make the pie bigger, and everyone will be happy."

Her gaze drifted into the distance, as if lost in memories: "Guess what he said? He said, 'What if I don't like those people, and don't want to share the cake with them?'"

Director Liu opened his mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

"Isn't it naive?" Zhou Yaqin smiled helplessly. "How can someone so innocent succeed in society? But you have to admit, that kid is just that special, and that's how he got to where he is today."

Zhou Yaqin picked up her teacup, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "Those people must be getting impatient now, right? Do they think Little Hammer will go to them for help? I believe in their 'goodwill'—at least they won't use such a clumsy excuse as 'slingshot' to insult him."

Director Liu stared blankly at Zhou Yaqin, finally letting out a bitter smile and a sigh:

"Has something happened to him?"

"What?!" Zhou Yaqin's hand trembled, and she almost dropped the teacup.

Director Liu frowned:
"Mr. Zhou, this doesn't make sense to them. If he were safe and sound, why wouldn't he have shown up by now? Logically, he should have stepped forward to resolve the issue long ago."

He spread his hands and continued to explain:
"In their eyes, this is normal logic. When trouble arises, everyone sits down and talks, each taking a step back, and things can always be resolved. But now? The person is nowhere to be found, and no matter how they try to probe, your place remains stagnant."

"In their minds, there's only one situation that could make Little Hammer lose his voice: if something really happened to him!"

"If we let them really think in that direction, then the trouble that follows will be more than just something that can be fooled with a 'slingshot'!"

Zhou Yaqin calmly looked out the window and slowly said:

"I anticipated this. And the trouble has already begun, but it hasn't targeted the massage parlor yet. I'm waiting for them!"

Director Liu was taken aback: "What trouble?"

Zhou Yaqin sneered, "At Deep Exploration, the big fund company has sent another shareholder representative; and in the Slow Weaving Life Industry Upgrade project, people have already started to sabotage various R&D projects."

Director Liu was shocked: "Someone is sabotaging industrial upgrading? Someone has staked their job on that!"

"So what?" Zhou Yaqin smiled dismissively. "If the person who can hold them accountable is no longer here, then the guarantee is just empty talk."

"..."

Director Liu smiled bitterly. "A project worth hundreds of billions of yuan. If it's just left to waste like this, anyone would feel heartbroken."

Given the current situation, Director Liu knew further persuasion was futile, so he could only nod. He hesitated for a moment, then asked with a hint of expectation:

"Then...about the opening?"

Zhou Yaqin rubbed her temples wearily.
"It'll open tomorrow. But please, don't send any more people. Things are chaotic enough already." She glanced out the window, her tone turning cold.

"Also, clear out all those irrelevant people at the entrance. This is a massage parlor, not a hospital."

……

While Zhou Yaqin was talking with Director Liu, a confrontation was unfolding in the lobby of the Deep Exploration headquarters a few kilometers away.

A middle-aged man with a meticulously combed slicked-back hairstyle and wearing an expensive custom-made suit stood expressionlessly at the company's front desk, accompanied by two assistants.

"I need to see President Yu Xiaoning immediately." The middle-aged man's voice was somewhat aggressive.

The receptionist tried to explain that President Yu was in a meeting, but before she could finish speaking, the elevator doors opened with a "ding," and Yu Xiaoning, who had received the message, stormed out angrily.

"Zhang Xuan? What are you doing here?"

Zhang Xuan turned around, a formulaic smile on his face, but his eyes were devoid of warmth:
"Xiao Ning, long time no see. The company sent me here temporarily to serve as co-CEO and assist you with your work. After all, the situation is... special right now."

Yu Xiaoning crossed her arms and sneered:
“Assist?” She deliberately drew out her words, her sharp gaze sweeping over the assistants he had brought. “Did you bring these people here to assist, or to seize power?”

"Don't say that, old colleague." Zhang Xuan pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses. "We can't get in touch with the major shareholder right now. The company is so big, it can't just stay leaderless forever, can it? I'm just following orders to share the pressure with you."

"Leaderless?" Yu Xiaoning looked at her old colleague curiously. "Excuse me, when did the major shareholder ever take charge of things?"

"That's why the CEO sent me here to share the burden and protect the interests of the shareholders..."

"No need!" Yu Xiaoning interrupted him directly. "DeepExploration is running perfectly fine, you don't need to worry about it. Please go back!"

Zhang Xuan's smile faded, and his tone became firm:
"That's probably not something you can decide. The appointment letter has been issued, and I have to start work today."

Just as Yu Xiaoning and Zhang Xuan were on the verge of exchanging barbs, a calm female voice came from the side:
"Mr. Zhang, may I see your appointment letter?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Ou Xiaokui, the head of Smartisan Investment and also the authorized representative of Deep Search's major shareholder, standing to the side. She had obviously rushed over after hearing the commotion.

Ou Xiaokui took the appointment letter from Zhang Xuan's assistant, glanced at it quickly, and then looked up:
“Mr. Zhang, I’m very curious about something.” She gently shook the document in her hand. “As a shareholder holding only 10% of the shares, on which article of the company’s articles of association did your company unilaterally establish the position of ‘Co-CEO’ and appoint him directly without notifying or obtaining the consent of the majority shareholder holding 90% of the shares?”

She handed the appointment letter back to Zhang Xuan, shaking her head in utter disbelief:

"Or is it that you have unilaterally amended the company's articles of association, or... do you think that our voting rights as major shareholders are no longer valid?"

Faced with Ou Xiaokui's questioning, Zhang Xuan not only did not panic, but instead revealed a slightly sarcastic smile that he had been prepared for.

He slowly adjusted his cuffs, his deliberately elegant movements standing out starkly in the tense atmosphere.

“Mr. Ou, that’s an excellent question.” He spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone carrying a sense of superiority. “However, before discussing ‘qualifications,’ I suggest you review Article 3, Section 2 of Annex 4 to the investment agreement.”

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over Ou Xiaokui and Yu Xiaoning, as if enjoying their possible surprised expressions.

The terms clearly state: "When a significant, unplanned vacancy occurs in the company's core decision-making body, and this may pose a substantial risk to the company's strategic stability, as a major strategic shareholder, we have the right to nominate a joint senior executive to participate in interim decision-making to ensure the alignment of core interests with the direction of national strategic development."

Zhang Xuan leaned forward slightly, his voice lower but even more imposing:
"Mr. Ou, Mr. Yu, and Mr. Zhao Xiaochui's prolonged absence of contact perfectly fits the definition of a 'major, unplanned vacancy,' doesn't it?"

(End of this chapter)