C17 Provocation!

Lee Kerong watched the door close, a flicker of malice passing through her eyes. She had let Lin Han slip away this time, but what about the next?

She was determined not to let Lin Han remain in this household any longer.

He had been fortunate today, but next time, she would ensure he wasn't so lucky.

Lee Kerong shot a final, venomous glance at the door before turning on her heel and departing to her room to continue her live broadcast.

Lin Kexin rose early the following morning.

After waking, she had her driver take her to Hu Hai Park, positioning herself along the route the Chepapp Group's chairman took during his daily run, waiting patiently for his arrival.

After about thirty minutes, the chairman of Chepapp finally appeared, jogging at a steady pace until he reached Lin Kexin.

She quickly approached and introduced herself.

"Good morning, Chairman! I'm Lin Kexin from Watock Group. I'm interested in securing the outsourcing rights for your group's tourism project real estate. Here's my proposal; I've put my heart into it and I hope you'll consider it."

The chairman of Chepapp, whose morning runs were a closely guarded secret, was surprised that this young person had discovered his routine.

His initially pleasant demeanor quickly turned stern.

"I'm sorry, but this is my personal time. I never discuss business now. If you have something to discuss, please come to my office."

Lin Kexin had not avoided his office; in fact, she had tried to meet with him there yesterday without success.

Moreover, the chairman of Chepapp typically only met with senior-level executives from various companies or departments.

Although she was part of Watock Group, she currently held no official position, which meant she wasn't granted an audience.

"I did try, but the receptionist wouldn't let me through. I'm here with genuine intentions to discuss a partnership. I hope you can give me—and your company—a chance."

Zhou Haixiang, growing impatient, looked up at Lin Kexin with a hint of annoyance.

"If the receptionist didn't let you in, there's a reason for it. Right now, you're intruding on my private life. Do you understand? I could take legal action against you for this!"

After Zhou Haixiang finished speaking, he didn't give Lin Kexin another glance and continued to run ahead. Lin Kexin hastened to keep pace, speaking from behind him.

"Chairman Zhou, I was previously the general manager of Watock Group, but due to family disputes, I'm now just an ordinary employee. Therefore, I don't have the privilege of visiting you in your office. I truly hope to collaborate with you, which is why I had to come here. I realize this has been an intrusion, and for that, I am deeply sorry. But please believe that my proposal is heartfelt and crafted with dedication."

Zhou Haixiang suddenly had a thought and spoke with severity. "I'm not interested in Watock Group's internal conflicts. However, your grandmother has already called me, asking me to partner with Lee Feng. Given my past good relations with your grandfather, I owe him that courtesy. As for you, I'd advise you not to follow me any further, or I'll have to involve my lawyer."

With that, Zhou Haixiang quickened his pace and ran off. Lin Kexin felt like an unwelcome pest buzzing around him, a nuisance he desperately wanted to shake off.

Despite wanting to keep up, Lin Kexin understood the finality in his words. He intended to work with Lee Feng, and any further interruption on her part would lead to legal action. Feeling defeated, she bit her lip as tears welled up in her eyes.

Her grandmother was deliberately making things difficult for her. Experience always trumps youth, and in terms of connections and savvy, her grandmother was leagues ahead. Competing with Lee Feng was, in essence, taking on her grandmother – a battle she couldn't hope to win.

With her spirits crushed, Lin Kexin trudged back home. At the doorstep, she encountered Lin Han, who was heading out. Without uttering a single word, she walked past him and into the house.

Lin Han could tell she had hit a dead end just by looking at her. The CEO of Chepapp Group, a position that demanded shrewdness and strategic foresight, was not one to easily entertain propositions, especially not from Lin Kexin.

It was common knowledge that the matriarch held the reins at Watock Group, and Lee Feng was her protégé. To ally with Lee Feng was to align with the Old Madam herself.

Although Lin Kexin was more capable than Lee Feng, her influence in the Watock Group was negligible, so naturally, she wouldn't be collaborating with them.

Lin Kexin hadn't anticipated this.

Lin Han stepped back to where Lin Kexin was standing and asked nonchalantly, "What's wrong? Did you fail?"

Lin Kexin shot him a look.

"Isn't that obvious?"

Lin Han feigned ease.

"Failure is the mother of success. What's one failure? You'll succeed next time! Don't lose heart!"

With that, he strolled away casually.

Meanwhile, Lin Kexin's mother, witnessing her daughter's disheartened return from the living room, quickly approached her with concern.

"What's the matter, dear? Did you fail? Who told you not to listen to me? If you had married Yang Jun, he would have taken care of all these issues for you. But no, you wouldn't listen, choosing instead to marry that good-for-nothing. Now look, you can't get anything done, and you have to handle everything yourself."

"Can't handle it, can you? Not heeding the wisdom of your elders has its price. Listen to me, divorce that loser promptly. I've heard Yang Jun is still unmarried, and he's coming back in a couple of days. When Yang Jun returns, you should marry him without delay."

Annoyed by her mother's words, Lin Kexin gave her an exasperated glance and said, "Mom, can't you give it a rest for just a moment? Your constant nagging every day... I'm well aware of how outstanding and capable Yang Jun is, but do you remember why we broke up? He rejected your daughter, remember? Can't you just let me have some peace?"

After speaking her mind, Lin Kexin hurried into her room.

She splashed her face with cold water to refresh her thoughts.

Then, she applied a simple makeup and headed straight for the office.

As fate would have it, she ran into Lee Feng right at the entrance of the company.

Lee Feng, brimming with pride, hummed a tune as he made his way to the office and spotted Lin Kexin.

He approached her with a taunting tone, "You're out of the loop, aren't you? The chairman of the Chepapp Group has agreed to sign a contract with me. You really should give up trying to compete with me; you're just not ready."

Lee Kexin gave him a fierce glare.

"What's with the attitude? Do you really think you could land this contract on your own merits? It's nothing but your grandmother pulling strings for you behind the scenes."

After uttering those words, she suddenly remembered what Lin Han had said to her.

"He's only agreed to sign the contract; it's not finalized yet, is it? As long as the ink isn't dry on the page, anything can change at any minute. He might decide not to sign with you today. After all the time you've spent at the company, how can you not grasp that?"