Knowing that Ye Chen was joking, Xiao Churan didn't take it seriously. She stepped aside and dialed Wang Dongxue's number.
The call quickly connected.
On the other end, Wang Dongxue's melodious voice came through: "Hello, Ms. Xiao."
"Hello, Vice Chairman Wang, I have a favor to ask," Xiao Churan said, a little embarrassed.
"Go ahead," Wang Dongxue replied kindly.
After organizing her thoughts and taking a deep breath, Xiao Churan gathered the courage to say, "I'd like to ask if your chairman has any availability tomorrow evening. Our family plans to host a banquet to officially announce the collaboration with Emgrand Group. We were hoping the chairman might do us the honor of attending…"
Wang Dongxue paused briefly before replying, "Ms. Xiao, I can't decide that on my own. How about I ask the chairman and get back to you?"
"I appreciate it. Thank you so much," Xiao Churan said respectfully.
After hanging up, Xiao Churan anxiously held her phone, waiting for a response.
At that very moment, Ye Chen's phone suddenly rang.
Startled, Ye Chen silently cursed himself for forgetting to silence it—it was clearly Wang Dongxue calling to ask for his opinion.
Trying to stay composed, he answered the call calmly, "Yes?"
Wang Dongxue's voice came through, "Chairman, the Xiao family is hosting a banquet tomorrow evening. They want to know if you'd like to attend."
Ye Chen responded, "Oh, I see. Sure, I'll go… Alright, that's all."
He hung up quickly and mumbled, "Ugh, these telemarketers are so annoying…"
Xiao Churan didn't think much of it. But just then, her own phone rang again.
It was Wang Dongxue.
"Ms. Xiao, our chairman agreed to attend your banquet tomorrow," Wang Dongxue informed her.
"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you so much for your help—please also extend my thanks to the chairman!" Xiao Churan said excitedly.
She immediately turned to tell Grandma Xiao: "Grandma! The chairman of Emgrand Group agreed to come!"
"Really?!" Grandma Xiao was thrilled.
She instantly turned to the rest of the Xiao family and announced, "Everyone get ready! Book the best hotel, order the finest dishes and drinks. We're going to give the Emgrand chairman the grandest welcome!"
"Also, notify all major companies in the city and invite them to our banquet! Let them know the chairman of Emgrand will be attending!"
The entire Xiao family became a flurry of activity!
Everyone was buzzing with excitement, contacting partners and high-profile figures in Jinling.
This was a bombshell!
Word quickly spread across the city that the mysterious new chairman of Emgrand Group would make a public appearance at the Xiao family's banquet tomorrow.
Grandma Xiao received countless calls inquiring about it, and she responded to each with a proud smile.
She was overjoyed. Once the banquet ended, the Xiao family would no doubt become one of Jinling's most sought-after families.
"Alright," she declared, "that's all for today—let's start preparing for tomorrow's banquet. Dismissed!"
After the meeting, Grandma Xiao returned to her office.
Xiao Hailong, however, followed behind her with a scheming look in his eyes.
"Grandma, are you really going to give the director's position to Xiao Churan?"
Once they were in private, Xiao Hailong blurted out his question.
Grandma Xiao frowned and responded coldly, "I already promised Churan. Why shouldn't I give it to her?"
Xiao Hailong protested, "Grandma, you can't let her be director!"
"Why not? She secured the contract. She's the company's hero and deserves the promotion."
Xiao Hailong quickly argued, "She only got the contract because Zhang Wenhao from the Zhang family helped her. I heard he went to her house last night! And today, Emgrand signed the contract? That's no coincidence! I think he slept with her!"
Grandma Xiao's expression turned dark. "Are you certain?"
Xiao Hailong nodded firmly. "Absolutely. Zhang Wenhao was at her house last night. You can look into it."
He added, "Churan's a married woman. If word gets out that she used such methods to land the deal, where does that leave the Xiao family's reputation? What about your reputation, Grandma?"
Grandma Xiao frowned deeper. She already believed most of it.
She knew Zhang Wenhao liked Xiao Churan. He even gifted her a jade Buddha worth millions on her birthday.
That would explain how she secured a 60-million-yuan contract.
Xiao Hailong pressed on: "If you let such a shameless woman be our director, people will talk. We should give the credit for the deal to someone else—a man—so we avoid any gossip!"
Grandma Xiao nodded slightly, almost fully convinced.
This way, even if outsiders talked about Churan's involvement with Zhang Wenhao, she could deny it by pointing to the newly appointed male director as the one responsible for the deal—not a woman who used her body.
Plus, she had her own selfish reasons.
She never liked Xiao Churan. She'd always preferred boys over girls and didn't want Churan to gain any real power or influence within the family.
If she didn't suppress her now, the family assets might one day end up benefiting an outsider.
With that, her mind was made up.
She looked at Xiao Hailong and said coldly, "Hailong, from now on, in the company, you must obey me. Do what I tell you. Don't do what I forbid. Understood?"
Xiao Hailong quickly swore loyalty: "Don't worry, Grandma. I'll do exactly as you say. I'll go wherever you point!"
"Good." Grandma Xiao nodded with satisfaction. "Tomorrow at the banquet, I'll announce to everyone that you're the new director and in full charge of the Emgrand partnership. But remember—you must obey me. I made you, and I can take you down."
Xiao Hailong was ecstatic and quickly said, "Don't worry, Grandma! I'll be completely obedient!"