FLBOTCP Chapter 94
Full Level Bigshot Only Takes the Career Path Chapter 94
When Pei Mingzhan arrived, Zhao Yao was standing under some shelter from the rain, accompanied by his driver.
As soon as he learned Zhao Yao was not in the hotel, he immediately instructed others to search and at the same time called Zhao Yao. Zhao Yao took the initiative to leave the hotel, explaining that there was a sudden matter that required his departure at this particular time. His intention to avoid causing a disturbance indicated that he was handling the situation discreetly.
As soon as he realized Zhao Yao wasn’t at the hotel, he immediately instructed others to search and, at the same time, called Zhao Yao. If Zhao Yao voluntarily left the hotel, it means there was an unexpected matter and he needs to leave at that time. And if he did not alert others, it means that the matter was under his control.
But even with this information, Pei Mingzhan couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Knowing that it might disturb Shao Yao, he still gave him a call.
Zhao Yao told him where he was. A small park near his company, adjacent to which was a café. On a few previous occasions when Zhao Yao visited his company, he had asked his secretary to bring coffee twice from that café, as Zhao Yao really liked their coffee.
There was a small pavilion by the roadside outside the park, overlooking the bustling main urban road of the city.
Zhao Yao was standing inside the pavilion and waved when he saw him approaching.
Pei Mingzhan quickly walked over, holding an umbrella. Along the way, he noticed several familiar pedestrians—bodyguards that Zhao Yao had left on the hotel side earlier.
It seemed like the matter had been resolved…
“I wasn’t going anywhere. Why are you running so fast,” Zhao Yao said as Pei Mingzhan stepped into the pavilion and saw that half of his suit jacket was damp.
After seeing the person in front of him, Pei Mingzhan completely let go of the big stone in his heart. At first he was quite angry. But when he heard the phrase Zhao Yao said on the phone, asking if he wanted to come and pick him up, he felt that all his anger wnt away.
“Why didn’t you tell me when you were going out? You know how dangerous it is outside now.” Pei Mingzhan looked at him, his tone slightly slowing down. “Your boyfriend was really worried about you.”
Zhao Yao replied, “I came to meet someone. It wasn’t a big deal, and I’m done now.”
But he couldn’t help but think that maybe it would be better to inform him next time before going out.
After receiving Zhao Zhikai’s text, Zhao Yao thought it would be a good opportunity to resolve other matters. So when Zhao Zhikai suggested meeting, he immediately took the initiative to suggest a location. He avoided doing things he was uncertain about, so before setting out, he had already arranged everything through others. He made sure that Zhao Zhikai wouldn’t have a chance to take any action against him at that location.
The longer they spent time together, the more Zhao Yao realized that Pei Mingzhan tended to magnify his actions in his thoughts. So, it was best not to let him know about going out. It was a minor matter, and disturbing his boyfriend at work wouldn’t be ideal.
Pei Mingzhan silently watched him for a moment, then sighed and said, “I really underestimated you. After such a passionate night, you still managed to create such a big stir today.”
He originally planned to finish the meeting and, if lucky, rush back in time to arrive before someone woke up. However, whether the notes left on the desk were seen or not, the commotion stirred up was quite big.
When the events of last night were mentioned, Zhao Yao belatedly realized, “I have good stamina.”
“Then you still slept in the latter part of the night?” Pei Mingzhan took his hand and asked, “What do you want to eat for lunch?”
Zhao Yao hesitated for a moment and seriously argued, “I was just a bit tired.”
Pei Mingzhan tilted his head, amused by the serious expression on his boyfriend’s face, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Mr. Zhao, your ears are turning red.”
Zhao Yao was stunned, then reached up to touch his ear.
Pei Mingzhan continued, “Just kidding.”
……
Two days later, news of the Chairman of Zhao Group’s death spread across the country, with major media outlets racing to report it. Zhao Group was well-known domestically, especially the achievements of the chairman in recent years, making him a successful entrepreneur in the country. As soon as the rumors of his death surfaced, countless netizens expressed their condolences.
【Ah… Chairman Zhao seemed quite young, didn’t he?】
【I heard he suddenly fell seriously ill and passed away abroad. The news only broke in the last two days.】
【Don’t underestimate it. This big shot may be impressive, but his marital life isn’t great. Recently, you might have missed the scandal at Zhao Group. His wife got involved in some trouble and was taken in for investigation.】
【I heard he has three wives and several sons. With his sudden death, there might be some power struggle within the wealthy family. With so much wealth, it’s unclear who will inherit it.】
…
Online discussions were buzzing, and Zhao Group quickly became the focus of public opinion. Not only that, but this news also reached Zhao Yao’s fans. With such a big news, countless people stood on the sidelines, wondering how the stock prices would fluctuate, and who would ultimately inherit the largest share of the fortune.
As Zhao Yao had gained some popularity on the internet recently, after this incident, many marketing accounts tried to use his name as a gimmick for attention. But they were quickly suppressed by Zhao Yao’s team.
【Oh, this…】
【It seems that the Zhao family’s eldest son has been managing the Zhao Group for the past couple of years and the chairman has been ill for some time.】
【Scary, these things about wealthy families are really hard to predict.】
【Don’t project the novel into reality. Instead, invest some time to investigate the Zhao Group. Many things are clear compared to what exaggerated marketing accounts claim, and besides, it’s unlikely that Zhao Zong himself would get involved.】
【My friend told me that Zhao Zong seems to have left the group a long time ago】
Huang Wenjun went to work as usual today. When it was time, he noticed that the team was busy managing the online public opinion for Mr. Zhao.
He was well aware of the situation within the team. However, observing the current circumstances, he thought that even with Zhao Yao’s tactics, he might not be able to contend with Zhao Zhikai. These team members were still unaware that the project Zhao Yao intended to collaborate on with Zhao Changshuo had been immediately exposed by his boss. Soon, a label would be directly pinned on Zhao Changshuo. He wondered what Zhao Changshuo could salvage upon returning from abroad.
Once this matter was resolved, he planned to submit his resignation as if nothing had happened. Then, he would return to work with Zhao Group, where his boss had promised favorable conditions for him.
The office was bustling with activity. As soon as Huang Wenjun turned on his computer, he saw Yao Zhu standing beside him. He immediately became alert, putting on a smile and asked, “Yao Zhu, is there anything on the agenda?”
Yao Bai looked at Huang Wenjun, and the smug expression on his face had not completely faded. Considering the significant role he played in assisting Zhao Zhikai, not only by leaking information but also revealing data within the team, it was quite understandable. With the actions of his capable subordinate, returning to Zhao Zhikai’s side would likely mean soaring success, and he should be thrilled about it.
“Oh, no problem. Someone is looking for you,” Yao Bai glanced to the side, “in the lounge.”
Huang Wenjun felt confused but still walked over to see what was going on.
As soon as he entered the lounge, Huang Wenjun immediately noticed two individuals in police uniforms inside sitting. As he approached, they directly said, “Are you Huang Wenjun? Come with us.”
Huang Wenjun was taken aback. When he turned around, he saw Yao Bai standing with crossed arms at the entrance of the lounge. Yao Bai remarked, “What are you looking at me for? Weren’t you quite enthusiastic when you were working for Zhao Zhikai? Well, now think about it, does he still have a chance to bail you out?”
He looked at the two individuals before him and suddenly understood, “You actually knew a long time ago, didn’t you?”
Yao Bai spread his hands, “Who knows?”
“Please come with us.”
Huang Wenjun’s face turned pale. He looked at the two approaching police officers and lowered his head in resignation.
-*
While online discussions were in full swing, chaos also erupted within the group. In a fit of anger, Zhao Zhikai decided to throw caution to the wind. He directly presented the information he had previously compiled about the vulnerabilities in Zhao Changshuo’s projects during a board meeting. He even went as far as pressuring other shareholders along with several individuals. Overnight, there was a significant shift in power, with Zhao Zhikai quickly attempting to seize the advantage before Zhao Changshuo could take any action.
The threats from Zhao Yao didn’t cause much trouble. One could even say that he didn’t regard Zhao Yao seriously at all. Back in the café, Zhao Zhikai’s thoughts were momentarily disrupted by Zhao Yao’s words. But after careful consideration, even if Zhao Yao were to uncover these matters, having only spent two years in the group, did he really think he could find all the evidence relying solely on his connections from his mother’s side?
It has to be said that Zhao Yao played his cards right. These matters were indeed secrets that were only known to few people aside from those his relatives. Since Zhao Yao was aware of them, there must be someone within his camp feeding him information. But Zhao Zhikai thought it wouldn’t be so easy for Zhao Yao to manipulate his actions with a mere written statement without any concrete evidence.
Originally, Zhao Zhikai had thought this way, and he was even preparing for Zhao Yao’s following moves. Regarding the undercover agent matter, once he stabilized the group, he planned to thoroughly investigate. At that point, he would see how Zhao Yao would try to show off in front of him without any real evidence.
But just when he thought that everything was about to fall into place, Zhao Changshuo already finished his overseas affairs and was preparing to return to the country.
“Didn’t anyone intercept him in Y Country?” Zhao Zhikai stood in the office that exclusively belonged to the chairman of the group. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city’s buildings stood tall. But despite the view, he looked anxious as he prepared for the next steps, “Make sure others are ready. It doesn’t matter if Zhao Changshuo comes back. His project can’t escape scrutiny. As long as…”
“Boss.” His confidant hurriedly walked in, “Several shareholders have deliberately come over, saying that they were contacted by the young master. The young master also brought back the chairman’s secretary and lawyer, and it seems like the matter of the will has been finalized.”
“Garbage,” Zhao Zhikai gritted his teeth, “Where are the people we arranged?”
His confidant wore a grim expression, “We lost contact.”
Zhao Zhikai clenched his fist and was about to vent his frustration when he suddenly saw his secretary quickly entering through the door. “Boss, it’s already all over the internet…”
Before the secretary could finish, several middle-aged individuals in suits walked in from outside, followed by assistant secretaries, making quite a formidable group.
The middle-aged man at the front called out Zhao Zhikai after seeing him, “Old Zhao.”
Zhao Zhikai had to suppress his temper and greeted them with a smile, “Director Liu, why are you here at this time?”
This was a shareholder who had not yet taken sides. Zhao Zhikai wondered about the purpose of their visit at this moment. Could it be that Zhao Changshuo had already won him over?
The middle-aged man referred to as Director Liu didn’t show a hint of a smile after seeing Zhao Zhikai’s appearance. Instead, he asked him, “You’re asking me? I was just about to ask you. Zhao Zhikai, you have quite some skills. Not to mention your penchant for bribery, but scandals seem to be flying around you, don’t they?”
Zhao Zhikai paused, wearing a smile as he said, “Director Liu, where did you hear such rumors? There’s no truth to those things…”
Director Liu sneered, “None? Are all the things said online false?”
Only then did Zhao Zhikai realize that something was wrong. He looked at his secretary, who explained quietly and handed over a tablet to him.
During this period, online discussions had been heated because of the death of the chairman of Zhao Group and the internal reshuffling. Zhao Zhikai initially thought the secretary was referring to these negative aspects. But to his surprise, the news displayed on the tablet carried his name. Below it, all of his past actions were listed, and it had even made its way to the front pages of various major apps.
Zhao Zhikai’s face changed abruptly, “What about the PR team? Are they just letting these things be?!”
The secretary shook their head.
Director Liu spoke, “Old Zhao, please clarify this matter during the upcoming meeting. Also, a few days ago, you pointed out in the meeting that Zhao Changshuo was privately cooperating with Zhao Yao. Zhao Changshuo stated that this was purely slander. Just now, he sent us a project proposal, confirming the collaboration, but the person he’s working with is not Zhao Yao. They went through the proper procedures within the company. It just hasn’t been officially announced yet.”
Zhao Zhikai’s face immediately changed. He thought of Zhao Yao’s calm face in the café, and now that image seemed mocking in his mind. “What do you mean?”
This matter had been double-confirmed by people close to Zhao Changshuo and Huang Wenjun, who infiltrated Zhao Yao’s team. Now they were telling him that the collaboration was fake. Was he played by Zhao Changshuo and Zhao Yao from start to finish?
How could this be possible?
At this realization, a wave of fear surged within him. The paper document that Zhao Yao handed to him in the café suddenly flashed in his mind…
The towering building of Zhao Group was right in front of him. Zhao Changshuo spoke to the person on the other end of the phone, “Thanks to your help these days, we are ready to close in.”
His secretary handed over a tablet with the upcoming meeting details.
Zhao Changshuo glanced at it briefly before continuing, “I’ve already instructed the legal department to follow procedures with the evidence you provided. What Zhao Zhikai did is exposed for everyone to see. In addition to stirring up trouble within the group these days, many shareholders have expressed dissatisfaction. The content of the will gives absolute authority, so you can rest assured…”
The car stopped in front of the skyscraper. The secretary got out and assisted in opening the car door.
Zhao Changshuo ended the talk with the person on the other end of the phone, “Thank you. I will provide you with a complete answer regarding this matter.”
“Boss, we’ve arrived,” the secretary said.
Zhao Changshuo hung up the phone and looked up at the towering building.
The hotel’s duvet lay half on the floor while Zhao Yao leaned slightly against the side, holding a tablet displaying the headlines of various major websites. Just after finishing his conversation with Zhao Changshuo, he received a call from another person.
A deep, senior voice echoed on the other end of the phone, “He just received the news, and the meeting is about to start. As you expected, other directors are very displeased after learning about this. Your eldest brother is already following the proper procedures.”
He paused for a moment, “Zhao Yao, your uncle is asking, do you really not want to contend with your eldest brother?”
Zhao Yao raised his head slightly and saw Pei Mingzhan coming out of the bathroom, dressed in a casual outfit.
He said, “Uncle Liu, when I left the group last year, I already made my stance clear. I don’t want to take on such a big responsibility in the Zhao Group. Zhao Changshuo is more suitable than me. You don’t need to repeat that.”
On the other end of the phone, Director Liu paused slightly after hearing this response. With a deep and meaningful tone, he said, “No matter how you think about it, just don’t regret it in the future. You resemble your mother a lot, having a stubborn streak.”
Zhao Yao smiled slightly, “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Don’t worry, these days of letting Zhao Zhikai stir up trouble have been taken into account. Today, all the accounts will be settled,” Director Liu stood outside the meeting room, seeing that the other directors had already arrived. He intended to end the call with Zhao Yao, saying, “Consider this your uncle helping you out.”
Pei Mingzhan saw Zhao Yao finishing the call and asked, “Is it done?”
“It’s done,” Zhao Yao said. He saw Pei Mingzhan had already changed clothes. He then asked, “Are you really not going to work today?”
In the morning when Zhao Yao woke up, he saw that Pei Mingzhan hadn’t gotten out of bed yet. Since today was a workday, it was highly unusual for him, considering his usual dedicated work attitude. When Pei Mingzhan saw Zhao Yao awake, he still wanted to pull him back to bed. The two lingered until past ten o’clock, directly skipping breakfast.
“Not going,” Pei Mingzhan compressed his work for the next few days to free up time to be with Zhao Yao. Including the weekend, he and Zhao Yao now had a three-day holiday.
At noon, he planned to take Zhao Yao to a lively restaurant that gained popularity online.
Pei Mingzhan saw Zhao Yao still sitting by the bed, so he said, “Hurry up and change, we’ll be leaving soon.”
The restaurant the two planned to visit had recently received high praise online. Originally, it was an old and well-regarded establishment in S City, but it gained newfound fame as a trendy restaurant because of the promotion by food bloggers. Since the restaurant operated on a reservation system, Pei Mingzhan had his secretary book a private room a few days in advance. With everything ready, the two were about to leave.
Soon, the driver dropped them off near the restaurant. Because the restaurant was surrounded by a pedestrian street, the vehicles had difficulty entering.
After exchanging greetings with the trailing bodyguards to ensure everything was fine, Zhao Yao entered the pedestrian street with Pei Mingzhan. Their outing was relatively simple, considering Pei Mingzhan’s status. Both of them wore masks and hats, but it still didn’t fend off the crowds on the pedestrian street.
“It’s not even noon, and there are already so many people?” Zhao Yao slightly tilted his head, observing the surroundings. “Did you inform your agent about this trip?”
Pei Mingzhan had recently completely stepped back from the entertainment industry. The hype around “Mi Ying” was gone, and the current online discussions were focused on other new dramas like “Li Meng.” It was common for actors like him to take a break after finishing a project, but this year, Pei Mingzhan had started a business, leading to decreased online presence.
“If you’re being followed, just say it directly. There’s nothing to worry about. We’re just here to dine at a trendy restaurant with friends,” Pei Mingzhan said casually. Spotting the long queue not far away, he smiled and added, “I told you to come early. It’s already starting to get crowded.”
It was Zhao Yao’s first time dining at a popular restaurant. He had heard that there might be a queue, but he didn’t expect it to be this long even before noon. Following behind Pei Mingzhan, he stood at the entrance and confirmed the reservation status with the waiter.
After checking the registration records, the waiter asked, “Are you Mr. Pei? Your reserved private room is on the second floor.”
Pei Mingzhan nodded, and a waiter then came out to guide them.
The people queuing nearby were quite surprised as the two walked by. Although their faces were well-covered, judging by their overall appearance, these two seemed to be undeniably handsome.
“Is it just me, or do those two look like celebrities?”
“No way, celebrities coming to a popular restaurant during mealtime? Aren’t they afraid of fans following them from start to finish?”
“I don’t see any assistants around either. It looks like just two handsome guys out for a meal.”
“Dare you to go up and ask for their WeChat?”
“Not a great idea. That guy kinda looks like my idol.”
Mu Tingting, waiting in line at the popular restaurant with her friends, noticed the two from her position near the intersection. Since she was on vacation, she had come to S City with her friends for sightseeing and decided to try out this famous trendy restaurant.
When her accompanying friend asked if those two were celebrities, she hesitated for a moment and replied, “I don’t think so.”
Her friend said, “Don’t you often go out to photograph celebrities? I thought you’d recognize them. You’ve been staring at them.”
Mu Tingting felt a bit awkward when she heard this. But when her friend brought it up, she looked more closely at the two people. The more she looked, the more she thought the guy standing slightly behind resembled her new favorite, Xiao Zhao.
When the waiter came to lead them to their table, the guy subtly glanced in their direction. Shortly after, he withdrew his gaze and entered the restaurant. Although it was just a brief look, Mu Tingting was certain that the guy had noticed her looking at him just now.
Mu Tingting was stunned for a moment, a vague feeling lingering in her mind. ‘No way. Could it be true???’
Seeing this, the friend said, “But now rich people are really strange. They will also queue up to eat in the online celebrity shop. I heard that it is very difficult to make an appointment online in this shop. It seems that you have to queue up to make an appointment.”
“Huh?” Mu Tingting.
Her friend continued, “Just look at those two from earlier. They’re dressed in high-end designer brands. It may look simple but the prices are off the charts.” She gestured to emphasize, “But their aura is just different. Everyone around is glancing at them. Calling them celebrities wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
Mu Tingting paused, suddenly becoming serious. “Now that you mention it, I suddenly remember that the hat they’re wearing looks a bit familiar…”
She had just finished speaking when she saw a candid photo in her phone album from a previous outing of Pei Zhao CP, clearly capturing a hat of the same style.
PANDA’s Mini Theater:
Peipei & Xiao Zhao: We should go out in disguised!
Also Peipei & Xiao Zhao: *Wears a hat that everyone knows*
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