Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

Anseong March.

A light drizzle fell all day.

The sky was overcast and chilly.

The rain washed all the vegetation, making it bright and green, and the air seemed to be filled with the unique scent of spring after the rain.

Having shed the desolation of winter, the vibrant life of spring can no longer be concealed.

However, this vibrant area has nothing to do with Shengshi Group.

It has nothing to do with the Xu family.

It has nothing to do with Xu Qingcheng.

Ancheng's well-known private enterprise, Shengshi Group, has been making headlines with a series of explosive news stories.

Last year, the shocking case of a minor causing death while driving under the influence of alcohol was finally solved. On March 10, the court sentenced Xu Qingyao, the son of Xu Shengchang, chairman of Shengshi Group, to five years in prison for the crime of causing a traffic accident, and the circumstances were egregious.

At the court hearing, a boy under the age of sixteen, with bloodshot eyes, broke down and shouted, "I wasn't driving the car! I didn't kill anyone! I didn't kill anyone! They're lying!"

The videos exposed on various platforms have attracted widespread attention and heated discussions, drawing a barrage of criticism. The drunk driver hit a pedestrian, failed to provide immediate assistance, and instead caused secondary injuries that resulted in the victim's immediate death. Despite conclusive evidence, the driver refuses to admit wrongdoing.

The young master of a wealthy family disregarded the law and human ethics, thinking that he could escape severe legal punishment because of his youth. This is outrageous, and a five-year sentence would be too lenient.

However, just two days after the court's verdict, media reports revealed that Xu Shengchang, chairman of Shengshi Group, suffered a stroke during a high-level meeting of the group in the morning and was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in a coma.

Meanwhile, Shengshi Group's financial problems were exposed due to guaranteed loans, leading to banks withdrawing loans and suppliers demanding repayment. Xu Shengchang's 23-year-old daughter, Xu Qingcheng, was appointed acting chairman in a time of crisis.

However, both outsiders and insiders were not optimistic about this young, bright, and inexperienced eldest daughter of the Xu family. Some were worried, some were watching her make a fool of herself, and some were waiting to kick her when she was down.

Xu Qingcheng tilted her head back, letting the raindrops fall on her face, piling up into a dense stream that rolled over her young and beautiful face, sliding down along the contours of her bones.

Her khaki trench coat was mostly soaked by the rain, but she seemed oblivious, standing quietly and stubbornly like a straight tree in the rain, standing proudly between heaven and earth no matter how the wind and rain beat down on her.

She knew everyone was watching her make a fool of herself, and some were even eyeing the Shengshi Group, waiting for it to go bankrupt and be swallowed up.

The Shengshi Group may be restructured in the future, but it absolutely cannot be now, and it absolutely cannot be in her hands. She will drag Shengshi back from the brink of disaster, even if it means forcing it.

The prosperous empire that my father built from scratch should not be destroyed by malicious competition.

Qingyao was so young, yet he had to face five years in prison because he couldn't prove his innocence.

The culprit has not yet been brought to justice; how could she be willing to let Shengshi be swallowed up by the Ye family again?

A black umbrella shielded her from the drizzling rain, creating a dry patch of sky above her, the raindrops making a soft pattering sound as they fell on its surface.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly opened her eyes, her beautiful eyes calm and sharp, cutting through the rain and onto the man's face.

"A beauty that could topple empires..."

Ye Tinghong spoke in a hoarse voice, a layer of gloom settling on his clean and sharp face. He had called out the name for many years with tenderness and affection, never uttering a single word with emphasis, but now his voice sounded as distant as if separated by thousands of miles.

Xu Qingcheng took a step back from under his umbrella. The umbrella, which had never sheltered anyone from the wind and rain, was held alone between the two of them.

Xu Qingcheng stepped forward, past him, "Ye Tinghong, even if it costs me everything, I will not let the Ye family embezzle a single cent of Shengshi."

Suddenly, her wrist was grabbed tightly, unwilling to let go. "Qingcheng, don't kill the road between us."

Xu Qingcheng abruptly shook off his hand. Without uttering a word, she stepped out with a sharp and assertive gait as her high heels slammed into the ground.

Everything was set in stone the moment Qingyao pronounced his verdict, including her and him.

The rain intensified, but her steps remained perfectly steady, clean and crisp like a dazzling star piercing through the rain under the spotlight, her back straight as if no weight could break it.

Amidst the overwhelming news coverage of the Xu family during the prosperous era, people have not forgotten Xu Qingcheng's public accusation against Ye Tinghong at the end of last year, alleging embezzlement, bribery, and violations of discipline and law.

The investigation never yielded any concrete evidence, but it ruined the career of Ye Tinghong, a rising star in the political and legal system.

The once handsome and beautiful young couple, who were the envy of everyone, suddenly turned against each other and became bitter enemies.

……

Six months later.

In the executive conference room of Shengshi Group, a heated debate was taking place.

The precarious Shengshi Group has struggled to stay afloat, robbing Peter to pay Paul, and has staggered to its current state.

There was also increasing discord within the Shengshi organization, and a meeting turned into a chaotic marketplace.

"The bank won't grant the loan, and I can't submit my application materials. What can I do?"

"No investment institutions are willing to invest. Well, given this mess, I wouldn't invest either."

"I think we should just forget about it. Since the Ye family wants to acquire Shengshi, let's just sell it to them. As long as we can negotiate a good price, what's wrong with that..."

The pen in Xu Qingcheng's hand finally gave way under the pressure and snapped.

The meeting room fell silent instantly.

The woman's face was bright and sharp, like a thinly sharpened blade; even though she was small, she was sharp enough.

She threw the broken pen on the table. "I've heard everyone's opinions. I'll reiterate: Shengshi will never be sold to the Ye family. Since Ye Chengnian has pushed Shengshi to this point, he wasn't prepared to offer a good price. Don't be delusional. Rather than waiting for others to give it to you, you should find a way to survive."

She tapped the table. "Let's talk to our clients. Shengshi can offer them discounts, but they have one condition: cash payment. We still need to find a way to get reasonable payment terms from the suppliers. Meeting adjourned."

Cash flow is the lifeblood of a business; at the very least, it allows the business to continue operating for a while longer.

Ignoring the discontent and murmurs of the crowd, Xu Qingcheng got up and left. Some of the older officials spat at her retreating figure, saying, "It's one thing for the Xu family to fall apart, but she's going to drag all of us shareholders down with her."

The voice was loud and clear, without any attempt to conceal it.

Xu Qingcheng ignored her, but her assistant, Yu Sheng, couldn't help but glance at her. "Ms. Xu, should we...?"

"No need. No one can shut anyone up." Xu Qingcheng waved her hand. "Have you made an appointment with President Rong of Rongtai Chemical?"

"I can't get an appointment, they said they don't have time." Yu Sheng said softly. Actually, it wasn't that they didn't have time, it was just that they didn't want to see him.

In Ancheng, anyone with any connection to the Ye family was unwilling to risk this misfortune at this time. Moreover, Shengshi Group was indeed experiencing operational difficulties, and they were afraid that the accounts receivable would eventually become bad debts.

Rongtai Chemical was not the only company to refuse.

"In that case, let's just meet by chance rather than arrange a meeting."

……

Xu Qingcheng, dressed in a black fitted dress, looked elegant and poised. She walked straight to the Royal City Club in silver-gray sequined high heels.

Rongfeng is attending a business cocktail party here tonight.

Unfortunately, without an invitation, the person was politely stopped at the clubhouse entrance by the greeters.

Xu Qingcheng clicked her tongue and had no choice but to make way for the people behind her.

The driver stopped the car, and Fu Jingting got out, holding the phone in his hand, showing some impatience, but still suppressing his temper to deal with it.

"What kind of tone is that? Don't try to fob me off, brat. I think this girl from the Ye family is quite good, and besides, you two know each other. Feelings are built up over time."

The man wore a black suit, with the top two buttons of his shirt undone rather casually. His well-defined features were sharply defined by the light, but his eyes slanted wildly at the corners, giving him an air of nonchalance.

The old lady's phone call was even more long-winded than his mother's; he couldn't hang up.

The man handed the invitation card to the greeter and continued walking inside without stopping his phone call.

Suddenly, her arm was grabbed. The woman had long, wavy, pure black hair, with only a diamond hair clip on one side. She smiled at the greeter and said, "We're together."

A bright and beautiful face suddenly rushed into my mind, rushing towards me hastily across time and space.

Fu Jingting's attempt to pull his hand back stopped there.