Chapter 7: The Sharp-Tongued CEO

Having been trapped inside Shen Yanzhi’s phone for a mere two days, Chi Yu had already grasped the rhythm of his life.

Despite being a young CEO in his twenties, his private life was as austere and disciplined as a ninety-year-old man’s. He woke up on the dot every day for work, exercised immediately upon returning home, and went to bed promptly before ten o’clock. He rarely socialized and didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.

Before she died, Chi Yu had juggled various part-time jobs and had been a dedicated night owl since high school. Seeing Shen Yanzhi’s structured lifestyle over the past two days felt like opening the door to an entirely different world.

"Mr. Shen, the CEO is currently working inside. You cannot enter without an appointment!"

"What’s the meaning of this?! I can’t even enter my own company now?!"

A sudden commotion outside caught Chi Yu’s attention. Lying within the phone, she realized the sound was coming from outside the office. The sound of messy footsteps drew closer. Within two minutes, the office door was shoved open violently, and a large group of people stormed in.

Chi Yu activated the panoramic camera.

At the center of the throng were two older men; one looked to be over fifty with greying temples, while the other was slightly younger. Both wore sour expressions and an aggressive air, clearly here with ill intent. Behind them followed several young men in suits, along with Assistant Chen, who had tried but failed to block them. Assistant Chen gave Shen Yanzhi an apologetic look.

Shen Yanzhi rose without a ripple of emotion and greeted them: "Uncle, Third Uncle."

"Dear nephew, it is truly difficult to get an audience with you these days," said the eldest uncle, Shen Hongguo.

The third uncle, Shen Yuanzhong, chimed in with a sarcastic tone: "Big nephew, you really ought to discipline the dogs around you. They have absolutely no manners. We just wanted to come up for a cup of tea, and we were blocked at every turn!"

Chi Yu suddenly understood—these two were Shen Yanzhi’s cousins. Judging by their grand entrance and tone, it was clear their relationship with Shen Yanzhi was far from harmonious.

"If you two were here for a routine inspection, no one would have stopped you. As for my staff, you needn't worry yourselves," Shen Yanzhi replied, his composure unshaken by their words.

He even added calmly to Assistant Chen, "My uncles seem a bit overheated. Go pour them two cups of bitter tea to help them cool off."

"Yes, sir, right away." Assistant Chen immediately turned and left.

Chi Yu was stunned by Shen Yanzhi’s direct, cool-headed dismissal of his elders. Given their bullying, "pulling rank" behavior, they certainly didn't deserve any extra respect. The lethality of his calm rebukes was no less potent than a screaming match! No grudges held overnight—applause, applause!

Chi Yu watched the drama unfold from within the phone. She was entertained, but Shen Hongguo and Shen Yuanzhong were on the verge of exploding.

"Big nephew, what is that supposed to mean?!" the hot-tempered Shen Yuanzhong demanded.

"Nothing at all." Shen Yanzhi sat back down. Even though he was seated while the two men stood, he held the upper hand, looking more like an employer reprimanding subordinates. "If you don't wish to drink tea, you are free to leave. I have plenty of work to finish, so I won’t keep you."

Shen Hongguo frowned imperceptibly and went to sit on the nearby sofa. Shen Yuanzhong, choked by Shen Yanzhi’s words, was practically fuming. He loathed this nephew, who always wore a cold face and spoke in a way that left others gasping for air. To make matters worse, the old man was biased, favoring Shen Yanzhi and bypassing him and his brother to pass the company down to this nephew. Shen Yuanzhong felt no affection or kindness toward him, only the bitter hatred of someone whose path to wealth had been blocked.

Hearing this, Shen Yuanzhong sneered: "This is a Shen family company, not yours alone, Shen Yanzhi! What, we don’t even have the right to visit our own company anymore?!" He added with lingering resentment, "I really should let the old man see this cold-blooded, disrespectful side of you!"

If his own father could hand the company over to someone like this, Shen Yuanzhong thought, then the old man must have been blind.

Shen Yanzhi replied nonchalantly, "As you please, Third Uncle."

Watching him remain impervious, Shen Yuanzhong was practically suffering internal injuries—the enemy took zero damage, while he had sustained over 10,000 points of internal harm. Chi Yu giggled silently inside the phone.

At that moment, Assistant Chen returned with two cups of bitter tea and placed them in front of the men. Looking at the tepid, brown liquid in the cups, Shen Yuanzhong’s already dark complexion grew even gloomier.

Shen Hongguo, having observed the exchange, pushed the offending tea aside and spoke like a mediator: "Nephew, we haven't come all this way just to argue with you. Your third uncle has a quick temper and speaks bluntly; it’s nothing new. Do try to be more accommodating."

Chi Yu was shocked. Shen Yuanzhong looked at least forty and was Shen Yanzhi’s actual uncle. They had broken into his office and caused a scene, yet it was somehow Shen Yanzhi’s fault? Truly, the quietest dogs bite the hardest. This eldest uncle seemed like a "nice guy," but his tactics were far more dangerous than the third uncle's.

Shen Yanzhi replied calmly, "I’ve only ever heard of elders accommodating their juniors, never the other way around. If Third Uncle is willing to be my nephew, I suppose that could be arranged."

Chi Yu: "...Pfft."

Shen Hongguo’s face darkened. Shen Yuanzhong stood up from the sofa, pointing a finger at Shen Yanzhi: "Shen Yanzhi, don't push your luck! Do you really think you're all that capable? You lost the bid for that project in Huai City, and the old man already knows about it! If you don't have the capability to run the Shen family’s company, you should step down!"

Shen Yanzhi stared at them sharply: "So, you came here today to settle scores?"

"That’s not how you should put it; we are just concerned about the company’s development," Shen Hongguo interjected.

Shen Yuanzhong, losing his patience, pressed on: "You lost the Huai City project to the Su family because you’re incompetent. And regarding the Guangzhou project—it was agreed that Huang Sheng would be in charge. Why have you removed him from his position and replaced him with your own people?"

Shen Yanzhi asked calmly, "Who is Huang Sheng?"

Thinking he was playing dumb, Shen Yuanzhong snapped: "Your man, Qin Nan! He replaced Huang Sheng immediately after returning from Huai City! If I were you, I would have fired anyone who couldn't even secure such a good project!"

A young man standing behind Shen Yuanzhong stepped forward, looking arrogant: "CEO Shen, I am Huang Sheng. I have been in charge of the Guangzhou project, and everything was ready for construction. Yet, yesterday, you inexplicably removed me and put Qin Nan in my place."

Huang Sheng balled his fists, looking defiant: "You don't just hand out achievements to your own people like that!"

Shen Yanzhi glanced at him, suddenly remembering something, and said with realization: "Oh, you’re that useless nephew-in-law from Third Uncle’s side."