Chapter 109: Pretending to be Refined

After a moment, Yu Chengmin’s phone rang. It was Jiang Yaowen calling, which made Yu’s scalp tingle with unease.

Yet, the unsightly daughter-in-law must face people, so Yu answered, “Young Master Jiang.”

Jiang Yaowen spoke on the phone, “I’ve heard some unfavorable news. It seems your side hasn’t moved, but Xu Meihui and the others have already started a preemptive acquisition against you. What’s this? Aren’t you going to explain this to me?”

Yu Chengmin’s scalp tingled even more, but he refrained from saying something useless like, “I was just about to ask you for an explanation.” Such words would only reveal insecurity, and in fact, he had been the one to call first upon hearing the news.

After a moment’s thought, Yu said, “There is such a matter. It’s too early to judge the impact, but I’m dealing with it. I’m still investigating the details. Preliminary conclusions suggest it’s not an insider; rather, my information was hacked. I mentioned before that I hired an expert in this field. Originally, I planned to bring him over later to specifically report on the technical loopholes this time. Unfortunately, people like that have peculiar personalities and are hard to communicate with, and he happened to have other commitments...”

Jiang Yaowen interrupted, clearly displeased. “Enough of that; I don’t care about these details, and it’s not the main issue. When such things happen, they just happen. As long as the basics are handled, there’s no need to chase who’s at fault at the moment. When facing a determined adversary bent on undermining us, no defense is impenetrable. It depends entirely on whether the opponent wants to attack and dares to attack.”

Yu Chengmin waited for him to continue.

Jiang Yaowen went on, “Xu Meihui alone wouldn’t be foolish enough to oppose me. But she acted, knowing full well it was my affair. That reveals one thing: whether it’s a hacker or an insider is irrelevant. The important point is that she came prepared and possesses the strength to challenge me; only then would she make a move. This isn’t your fault, and the solution isn’t about finding an insider or shoring up the system.”

Yu Chengmin continued to listen.

Jiang Yaowen said, “So this becomes a kind of ‘political standoff,’ ultimately resolved either through mutual compromise or one side conceding. It depends on who holds more leverage.”

Yu furrowed his brow and asked, “Who’s behind Xu Meihui stirring trouble?”

Jiang Yaowen replied, “I can’t say for sure yet. After Xu Meihui and her group were acquired and merged, their boss is Qiu Hongwen. This person is quite capable—while his influence in Haizhou is average, he’s very active nationwide and even overseas.”

Yu’s expression changed. “If it’s his idea, then things get complicated! He’s not only ruthless but also extremely unrefined. Last time, a well-connected friend of mine got into some business disputes involving Qiu Hongwen. Rumor had it that Qiu threatened to have him locked up. Fortunately, my friend wasn’t easy prey and fled to Gangcheng to lay low. Eventually, the conflict lost its meaning, and a third party with influence mediated, leading both sides to back down.”

Jiang Yaowen chuckled, “You mean Xiao Wei? I know him too. He’s clever—knows to hide in Gangcheng and smooth things over. Unlike Xiao Dong and Xiao Bo last time, who fled to the U.S. and got caught. Qiu Hongwen may be crude, but he’s actually just a puppet for someone else.”

He continued, “This is what worries me most and why I don’t blame you. How the plan leaked isn’t the key issue. Whether it’s an insider, hacker, or magician, that’s all just noise. The fact that this happened shows that Qiu Hongwen wants to cause trouble. The process and the people involved are just symbols. If it’s only Qiu Hongwen, I can negotiate. What concerns me more is if it involves the people behind him—that’s a whole different level. That would be a real headache.”

Yu frowned. “So does this mean we’re completely in the dark about the forces at play? Our seemingly impressive expansion plan has inadvertently affected the schemes of some powerful figures?”

“That’s possible, but I haven’t figured out the exact reason yet,” Jiang replied.

Yu asked, “Are the people behind you scared of them? If worse comes to worst, can we try to get them to intervene?”

Jiang Yaowen said, “I haven’t reported this yet. There are several reasons. First, my role is to solve problems for them, not create new ones. Reporting recklessly, crying and whining like a child tattling at home, only shows incompetence. You’re a boss, so you know bosses don’t like such employees. If I did that, maybe we’d solve this issue, but my future would be bleak.”

Yu thought Jiang’s words made perfect sense.

Jiang continued, “Second, I’m not sure whether Qiu Hongwen is acting alone or if his backers are involved. Dragging my people into this lightly would be like divine beings clashing. All balances would shatter. This is another level, far beyond what you can imagine. I can even tell you that the two world wars basically started this way, and the Soviet Union was essentially destroyed like this.”

Yu was at a loss for words but knew Jiang was not joking.

“So what should I do? How should I respond?” Yu asked directly.

Jiang said, “I don’t know. I’m calling not to blame you but to tell you to do nothing for now. I’m worried you might not grasp the gravity and have Chen Haodong and the others randomly hunting for insiders. One wrong step and everything falls apart.”

“If you’re not reporting, we can’t waste time. You told me how ruthless the Spaniards are, right?” Yu said.

Jiang replied, “It’s troublesome, but I’m already handling it. Later I’m meeting someone special. I’ll gauge his attitude, and if he agrees, we’ll be ready for any war. I’ve long disliked Qiu Hongwen. Whoever’s behind him, once someone gives the nod, I’m not called ‘Fatty’ for nothing—I’ll make sure Qiu Hongwen is eaten so thoroughly that not even bones remain. Even if he hides at the ends of the earth, it won’t help.”

Yu felt this was rather sly—preaching peace and refinement while planning to devour Qiu Hongwen. But one can only accept that Jiang is like this at work. In his professional sphere, he truly is an outstanding “good guy.”

Yu said no more. “Alright, then I’ll do nothing for now and wait for your signal. I have things to attend to, so I’ll hang up.”

“Okay, focus on your work. But if you’re free later, come by ‘Watertown’ and show your face?” Jiang suggested.

Yu awkwardly responded, “You’re not asking me to accompany some men, are you?”

Jiang also felt awkward. “Not that serious, you’re overthinking it. If anything, just two drinks. I know you’re a professional, not a hostess, so it’s just a suggestion.”

“If it’s just a suggestion, forget it. You can pay for young models or celebrities instead. No need to burden me further or put those temptresses out of work. Everyone has their specialty. If my professionalism falters and I cause trouble drunk, wouldn’t that be worse?” Yu cunningly joked.

“Alright, fair enough. Your call. Come if you want; rest if you don’t,” Jiang said before hanging up.