More executives.
More directors.
More faces that ranged from curious to concerned to outright antagonistic.
The room filled steadily, conversations continuing in hushed tones that sohow managed to be loud with implication.
And then Lu Zeyan entered, followed closely by an older man who could only be his father.
Lu Cheng was in his late forties but looked a decade younger, sharp-eyed, commanding, with the kind of presence that ca from decades of wielding absolute authority without ever being seriously challenged.
His hair was silver-white at the temples in a distinguished pattern that probably added to his gravitas rather than making him look old.
He moved with the confident ease of soone who’d never been denied anything important in his life, soone who expected deference and received it automatically.
Father and son took seats at the head of the table, Lu Cheng in the primary chairman’s position, Lu Zeyan to his right in the secondary power seat.
The room fell completely silent, conversations cutting off mid-sentence as everyone snapped to attention.
Lu Cheng’s eyes swept the assembled executives with the practiced efficiency of a man who’d run board etings for forty years.
He cataloged faces, read postures, assessed the room’s energy in the space of perhaps three seconds, comprehensive situation awareness that ca from decades of experience.
Then his gaze landed on Shuyin.
For a long mont, he simply looked at her, his expression utterly unreadable, not hostile, not friendly, just intensely focused, studying her like she was a puzzle he needed to solve.
Shuyin t his stare evenly, refusing to be cowed, refusing to look away, refusing to show even a flicker of the nervousness that any sane person would feel under that kind of scrutiny from one of the country’s most powerful business leaders.
The silent battle of wills lasted maybe five seconds but felt like an eternity, the entire room holding its breath as the Chief and interloper asured each other across polished rosewood.
Finally, Lu Cheng’s attention moved on, surveying the rest of the room with the sa comprehensive assessnt.
"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he said, his voice carrying easily through the space with the practiced authority of soone accustod to being heard and obeyed.
"I apologize for disrupting your schedules, but we have a significant matter that requires imdiate attention and collective wisdom."
He paused, letting the weight of that statent settle.
"We’re here to discuss a significant change in our executive structure that was implented this morning without proper board consultation or approval."
His gaze flicked back to Lu Zeyan briefly, and though his expression didn’t change, the criticism was implicit and devastating.
You acted without consulting . You made decisions above your authority. You fucked up, and now we all have to clean up your ss.
"My son has created a new position, Special Executive Advisor to the President, and granted it to Miss Lin Shuyin, along with full access to board etings, company records, and strategic planning sessions."
He let that information hang in the air for a mont, watching reactions ripple through the assembled executives.
"I’d like to understand the reasoning behind this decision, the qualifications that make Miss Lin suitable for such a position, and what oversight asures are in place to ensure this... arrangent... serves the company’s best interests rather than creating liabilities or vulnerabilities."
The last part was delivered with exquisite politeness that sohow made it sound like the sharpest criticism imaginable, the kind of subtle corporate language that said This was colossally stupid and potentially catastrophic while maintaining plausible deniability.
Lu Zeyan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearly not eager to explain his decisions to a room full of hostile executives and his deeply unimpressed father.
Director Chen jumped in before anyone else could speak, sensing opportunity to score points and position himself advantageously.
"With all respect, Chief Lu," he said, his tone perfectly calibrated to sound concerned rather than attacking, "I have significant concerns about this appointnt. Miss Lin has no formal business education that I’m aware of, no executive experience in any aningful capacity, and..." he paused delicately, "...her recent legal troubles raise serious questions about judgnt, character, and trustworthiness."
Murmurs of agreent rippled through the room like wind through grass.
Director Liu leaned forward, her voice sharp with barely controlled anger.
"Furthermore, her presence creates an obvious conflict of interest. She was romantically involved with President Lu Zeyan, we all know this. That relationship ended badly, publicly, scandalously. And now she’s been given authority over company operations? Access to confidential information? It’s highly inappropriate at best, potentially dangerous at worst."
He spoke as if Shuyin hadn’t worked beside Lu Zeyan vefiew going to prison... As if they hadn’t been openly emgaged and worked together! What did he think changed?
More nods.
More agreent.
The consensus was building quickly, this woman doesn’t belong here, and we need to remove her imdiately before whatever drama she brings destroys us all.
Shuyin remained silent, letting them build their case, her expression placid and faintly amused, like she was watching children perform a play they’d rehearsed but didn’t quite understand.
Director Wang added his voice to the growing chorus of opposition.
"I move that we rescind this appointnt imdiately and conduct a proper search for qualified candidates if President Lu feels he genuinely needs an executive advisor. This rushed decision undermines our entire corporate governance structure and sets a dangerous precedent for nepotistic or emotionally motivated appointnts."
"Seconded," Director Chen said imdiately, probably before Wang had even finished speaking.
The room’s energy shifted decisively toward consensus, get rid of the interloper, restore proper order, push back against Lu Zeyan’s impulsive and probably romantically motivated decision.
Lu Cheng looked at his son with an expression that might have been carved from ice.
"Zeyan? Would you like to explain why we shouldn’t follow Director Wang’s recomndation and remove Miss Lin from her newly created position?"
All eyes turned to Lu Zeyan, who looked trapped, pale, desperately searching for words that would explain the situation without revealing just how comprehensively he’d been outmaneuvered and blackmailed.
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