C14 You must Not Stand Idle

To be honest, Qin Fann hadn't expected Wu Ying to show up at the Tang's conference room. The meetings there were usually under the tight control of Tang Ruoyan, involving highly sensitive internal decisions that were inaccessible to outsiders, much less executives from competing companies.

In today's information age, protecting against espionage is as crucial as guarding against competitors. For someone at Wu Ying's level, any astute CEO would prevent such a breach into their organization, and Tang Ruoyan was certainly no exception in her shrewd management as CEO of Tang's.

Qin Fann quickly deduced the reason behind Wu Ying's presence. He suspected that other family-dominated powers were starting to exert pressure on Tang's, and the esteemed elders of the Tang family were finding it hard to cope.

This could very well be the rise and fall of an empire. No banquet lasts forever, nor does any empire remain eternally unassailable. As the common adage goes, flowers don't stay in bloom for a hundred days, and a person's popularity doesn't last a thousand. It was a sad and sobering reality.

A glint of malice flashed in Wu Ying's eyes as he looked at the younger and more attractive Qin Fann, his lips twisting into a cruel smirk without him realizing it.

Tang Ruoyan was still admiring the Sorrow Orchid when the meeting room door opened, and a stream of directors and department managers followed Wu Ying out in an orderly fashion.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Wu Ying chose the perfect moment to approach, extending his hand to Qin Fann from afar.

"Well, well, if it isn't Young Master Qin! Pleasure to see you! There's no need for you to trouble yourself with company affairs; Ruoyan has it all under control. You should just stick to fishing during the day and singing at night. Why put yourself through the hassle of coming here?"

Qin Fann simply smiled in response, never one to withhold his amiability, even towards those he didn't care for.

After a brief handshake, they went their separate ways. The other department managers and directors also exchanged pleasantries with Qin Fann, each one exuding confidence and a detached warmth.

Indeed, they had earned that confidence, having spent a lifetime working hard for Tang's and reaping handsome rewards. It was no surprise that they held little regard for Qin Fann, who appeared to be there just to pick the fruits of their labor without having contributed to the harvest.

Wu Ying was incredibly astute. As he watched the scene before him, his heart swelled with joy. At just the right moment, he stepped out from the crowd surrounding Qin Fann and Tang Ruoyan. "Young Master Qin, I've come at the behest of a senior family member to assist Ruoyan through her difficulties. I'll be staying at the Tang family residence for a few days. Let's take this opportunity to get better acquainted, and maybe we can go out for a drink sometime soon."

Qin Fann kept his smile, politely declining, "I'm sorry, Director Wu, but while I may be adept at chess, socializing over drinks isn't exactly my forte."

"That's too bad," Wu Ying sighed. "In the cutthroat world of business, being able to hold your liquor is crucial. Even Ruoyan..." He said, placing a hand on Tang Ruoyan's shoulder, "Even Ruoyan once set a record of ten cups without showing any signs of intoxication. You've got to catch up."

The excitement that Tang Ruoyan had felt, stirred by the Sorrow Orchid, began to fade under Wu Ying's touch. Qin Fann might be someone she could tease, but he was her husband nonetheless. They might separate in the future, but until their split was public, he deserved respect from everyone. At the very least, it was disrespectful for someone to repeatedly flirt with his wife in front of him. Anger started to burn brighter within Tang Ruoyan.

She waited for Qin Fann to react, but even after his smile persisted for several seconds, he did not act as a husband should. Tang Ruoyan felt a wave of frustration, but she was a person of class, and this was the time to show her noble temperament.

With elegant poise, she stepped away from Wu Ying's hand and drew closer to Qin Fann. In full view of everyone, she said, "It's late. Let's go home. Bao'er might still have homework to do."

"I saw her working on it when I came in," Qin Fann replied casually, their back-and-forth as natural as a couple who had been living in harmony for years.

This display made many in the crowd uncomfortable, as if they had swallowed a nail, their stomachs churning with unease.

Wu Ying might have been the most upset, harboring doubts about the veracity of the rumors that were spreading like wildfire. They suggested that Tang Ruoyan and Qin Fann's marriage was in name only, with the two growing increasingly distant. Could it be that something significant had happened in the past few days?

"Ruoyan, it's still early. How about we go out for a drink? I've been thinking, maybe we can explore new avenues to expand our maritime business. The issue with the caravan being raided..." Wu Ying deliberately paused there, curious to see Tang Ruoyan's reaction.

His overt competition with Qin Fann for the attention of a wife about to return home was indeed surprising to everyone. The directors and department managers exchanged discreet looks, sensing that this scene might become the talk of the town for some time.

Therefore, everyone remained neutral, quietly watching and listening.

Qin Fann felt Tang Ruoyan's hand relax on his arm, her graceful legs also becoming still. Perhaps it was time to teach Wu Ying a lesson, to let him know that some women are untouchable.

Before Tang Ruoyan could respond to Wu Ying, Qin Fann had already interjected, doing so with confidence. It just took a thick skin to do so.

"Excuse me, CEO Wu, but we have a pot of porridge waiting at home. Ruoyan has had a tough day at work. How about we discuss this tomorrow? As for the matter of the hijacked caravan, we can talk about it then, alright?"

He addressed Wu Ying, but his question was also intended for the directors and Tang Ruoyan.

Unfortunately, Wu Ying just smiled enigmatically, offering no response. The directors and department managers, knowing the importance of the situation, chose to remain neutral again. Only Tang Ruoyan appeared somewhat dejected.

Her sigh had a reason. Qin Fann was, after all, an outsider to the business world, unfamiliar with its ruthless nature. He was unaware of the severity of the corporate battlefield, not to mention the company's struggles with maritime trade. The issue of the company's employees who had disappeared while transporting goods at sea, and their families' incessant grieving, was enough to give Tang Ruoyan a headache.

Just three days prior, the company's global GPS had tracked the merchant fleet expected at the trade port, only to discover that the ships had mysteriously disappeared.

The loss of the cargo was astronomical, and the negative impact threatened to shake the very foundations of Tang's. Just as they were taking their first steps into maritime trade, they were dealt a harsh blow that sent their stock market value plummeting, trapping half of Tang Ruoyan's liquid assets.

In response, Tang Ruoyan sprang into action, comforting the families of the missing employees and collaborating with the police to locate the lost merchant fleet. She even enlisted the help of six international mercenary groups. Yet, despite these efforts, the fleet—over a hundred people and three cruise ships—had vanished without a trace. Three days passed without a whisper of news, leaving Tang Ruoyan fraught with worry.

Amidst this disaster, the board members chose to observe from a distance, piling the burden onto her shoulders. Wu Ying was stirring up trouble at the worst possible time, and Qin Fann, her husband in name only, blithely spoke out of turn, oblivious to the gravity of the situation. She was on the verge of an outburst, but restraint was necessary.

"Qin Fann, Chief Wu has a point. The caravan's disappearance is a serious issue. I must cling to any sliver of hope, no matter how faint. It's only nine in the evening; there's still time. I..."

Timing is everything, and the wise know when to seize the moment. Qin Fann, with a reassuring smile, gently interjected, "Ruoyan, while work is important, your well-being is paramount. If you collapse, what good is a recovered caravan? Your duty is to steer Tang's with a steady hand. As for me, my duty is to look after you. Leave this to me; I'll figure out a solution."