Chapter 25: The Project Is Mine

The assistant reported with trepidation, "In... in Conference Room 3, Mr. Jiang has brought two people with him. He says they are his project partners."

Jiang Zhiyun nodded.

She pushed open the door to Conference Room 3.

A wave of cigarette smoke wafted out, making her knit her brows in distaste.

Inside the room, her good-for-nothing younger brother was sprawled in a chair, looking insufferably pleased with himself. He even had his legs propped up on the table. Beside him sat two men who, with their unkempt, disreputable appearance, were clearly nothing more than low-lifes who frequented nightclubs.

"Well, well, look who it is. If it isn't my dear sister, the great President Jiang."

Seeing Jiang Zhiyun, Jiang Hao didn't even bother to shift in his seat. He spoke in a mocking, shrill tone, "What’s the matter? Is the great president too busy with her myriad affairs to spare a moment for a small fry like me?"

Jiang Zhiyun ignored his provocation. She walked straight to the head of the table and set the documents in her hand down gently. Pulling out a chair, she sat down and cast a cold, sharp gaze over Jiang Hao and his two "partners."

"State your business. I have five minutes."

Stung by her superior air, Jiang Hao slammed his feet off the table with a loud crash.

"Jiang Zhiyun, who the hell do you think you’re posturing for?"

He slapped the table, spit flying as he spoke, "Don't think you're all that just because you're running the company now! I'm telling you, I'm here today to give you an opportunity!"

Seeming to believe he held the upper hand, he puffed out his chest triumphantly, grabbed a crumpled document from the side, and threw it in front of Jiang Zhiyun.

"Look closely! This is money! This is the future!"

He pointed at the document, his voice so loud it seemed ready to lift the roof, "Stop sitting in this office all day acting like you know everything! I'm not here for a few measly thousand in pocket money. I'm here to do big business!"

Jiang Zhiyun didn't even lift an eyelid. She simply picked up the coffee her assistant had just brought in and blew gently on the steam.

Her indifference completely incensed Jiang Hao.

"Damn it! Are you deaf?" Jiang Hao stood up, pointing a finger at her nose.

"I’m talking to you about real business! Someone introduced me to a massive project—the Star River Bay real estate development! You know it? Star River Bay! The most prime location in all of Binhai City! Once this project is done, never mind your pathetic position as president—the entire Jiang Group will have to answer to me!"

He grew more excited as he spoke.

"Heh," he laughed smugly, looking at his two equally sleazy companions, "Just wait. Once I pull this off, Father will naturally know who the man is who can truly carry the banner of the Jiang family! The status of heir? That will be mine!"

"You, Jiang Zhiyun, should just crawl back home, find a man to marry, and focus on being a housewife!"

The two men beside him chuckled along, their gazes growing even more insolent.

Jiang Zhiyun finally set down her coffee cup.

"Jiang Hao, I truly admire your ignorance."

The smile froze on Jiang Hao's face.

Jiang Zhiyun sighed, feeling as though she didn't even have the energy to be angry. She rubbed her temples wearily. "Stop stirring up trouble and go home. The money I have the finance department wire you every month is more than enough for your hedonistic lifestyle. As for Star River Bay..."

"The bidding for that project has already ended. And the company that won is the Jiang Group."

"In other words, that project is currently in my hands."

The air in the room instantly froze.

The expression on Jiang Hao's face shifted from triumph to rage in a matter of seconds.

"Bullshit!"

"You're fucking lying to me! You just don't want to give me money! You just can't stand to see me succeed!"

He refused to believe it—or rather, he refused to allow himself to believe it. In his simple mind, the only explanation for Jiang Zhiyun saying this was that she was jealous of him and wanted to use such a clumsy lie to brush him off and block his path to success.

"Jiang Zhiyun, you poisonous woman! Do you think I'll believe your ghost stories again?"

He pointed at her, his finger trembling. "Fine! You win! You won't give me money, right? You're lying to me, right? I'm calling Dad right now! I want to see if he believes you or his own flesh and blood!"

He spat out a vicious curse, grabbed his jacket, and stormed out, dragging his two stunned "partners" with him.

*Bang!*

The massive door slam sent dust raining down from the ceiling.

The conference room returned to a deathly silence. Jiang Zhiyun leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, feeling an unprecedented wave of exhaustion. Dealing with an idiot like him was more draining than closing ten major deals.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to pull it together to deal with the mountain of documents on her desk.

But just then, her personal phone rang sharply.

—Father.

She hesitated for a moment before swiping to answer.

On the other end, without giving her a moment to breathe, a barrage of accusations came crashing down.

"Jiang Zhiyun! Your brother finally wants to do something worthwhile, so why won't you give him even a little money?!"

"Do you think your wings have grown strong enough that you don't have to listen to me anymore? Huh?!"

As Jiang Zhiyun gripped her phone, a massive sense of grievance welled up in her heart.

"Dad, I didn't..."

"Jiang Hao was swindled, that project..."

"Enough!" Jiang Shicheng interrupted her rudely.

"Swindled? I think the one trying to swindle is you! Your brother told me that in order to avoid giving him money, you actually lied and said you’d already secured the project! How did you become so vicious? You’d even scheme against your own brother?!"

"I am not lying!" Jiang Zhiyun’s voice couldn't help but rise.

"Dad, everything I said is true! The bid documents and the award notice for the Star River Bay project are right here in my office! If you don't believe me, you can..."

"I don't believe you!" Jiang Shicheng cut her off again.

"I only believe that in order to protect your precarious position as heir, you have started using any means necessary!"

"Zhiyun, I'm warning you."

"Don't think that just because that boy named Chen Yu, whom you found, performed decently on that messy variety show and gained some attention, you're guaranteed the succession of the Jiang Group."

"As long as I am here for one more day, the Jiang Group will still bear the name Jiang."

"No matter how useless Jiang Hao is, he is my son and your own brother!"

"Suit yourself."

*Beep... beep... beep...*

The call was hung up decisively.

Jiang Zhiyun held the phone, staring blankly at the dial tone, her vision blurring.

So, no matter how well she performed or how much she sacrificed, in her father's eyes, she would always be inferior to the brother who knew only how to cause trouble.

So, all her efforts were merely the struggles of someone in a "precarious" position.

Even the glory and prestige that Chen Yu had brought to her and this family were seen by her father merely as "means" she used to consolidate her status.