Chapter 154

The little snowman was not as tall as a water bottle, and its scarf was made from fur plucked off Pine Mushroom.

Zhong Ning kissed the corner of her forehead. “New year, new hopes, Shiqing. The company’s matters will definitely be resolved smoothly.”

The sincerity in her words of expectation and blessing was so genuine that Xie Shiqing, for a moment, felt afraid to face it.

Zhong Ning truly loved her. No one in this world understood better than her just how blazing and perfect that love was.

But the more perfect she was, the more uneasy it made others feel.

Xie Shiqing had learned to be honest, but by nature, even as she stretched out her neck to face the blade, one of her hands still gripped tightly onto her own reins.

She only confessed the most insignificant and carefully polished fragments, showing just the tip of the iceberg above the water, while never mentioning how many cold and unfathomable secrets lay hidden beneath the sea.

Even though Zhong Ning repeatedly stressed that she could accept every dark and selfish thought Shiqing revealed, she still did not dare to lay it all bare.

Moreover, sometimes, if one missed the best timing to speak, saying it later became difficult.

Xie Shiqing kept telling herself, it was not that she was unwilling to say, but that she had not found the right chance.

And so, the short winter passed, and by the time the first spring rain arrived, Xie Corporation’s entertainment division had already swallowed nearly half of Eden Entertainment.

Her moves against the Zhong family and the Le family were carried out simultaneously.

After all, no matter how busy the Zhong Corporation’s affairs became, they could not keep her personally tied down. She needed to find herself a suitable excuse to stay long-term at the company.

Compared to Zhong Corporation, Eden Entertainment’s weaknesses were easier to seize. That company truly had tails everywhere; tug at any one of them and a pile of dirt would fall out. With the memories of her previous life, Xie Shiqing only needed to dump those shady things out in the light all at once, and it would be enough to make Eden Entertainment choke.

At the very top of the list were tax problems.

Next came the issue of hidden rules, then dual contracts, industry bullying, and the suppression of newcomers.

The power of fans was limitless, and the pits dug by competitors came one after another.

After all, Eden Entertainment was also a strong company, signing many celebrities and actors. Who would not want to snatch a piece of the pie?

Once Xie Shiqing began kicking them when they were down, others followed suit. But she was the first to act, and also the first to extend an olive branch, relying on her good reputation and the sheer size of her corporation.

In the end, she profited handsomely, poaching nearly half of their people without paying much in penalty fees.

Because the contracts they had signed at the start had never been legal in the first place.

After earning her fill this round, Xie Shiqing turned her eyes once more toward Zhong Corporation.

Eden Entertainment was only an appetizer. After months of preparation, she was finally ready to start on the main course.

In truth, dealing with Zhong Corporation was not as difficult as imagined. Because once she started to move, others would follow, all eager to tear off a piece of flesh for themselves.

The Zhong family’s monopoly had simply lasted too long. In every major city across the nation, their shopping malls stood as the largest and the best, with a brand image deeply rooted in people’s hearts.

And within the malls were the finest and most high-end cinemas, the top choice for anyone wanting to watch a movie.

But just like a whale fall, its collapse would only feed a swarm of small companies tearing at the remains.

Xie Corporation, however, was set to claim the largest share.

Everyone said the entertainment industry made money, that it made enormous amounts of money. But no one truly knew just how much it earned, nor how much liquid capital Xie Corporation really possessed.

Take Lunar Rescue, for example—this single film achieved the best results worldwide, swept up countless awards, and brought Xie Shiqing nearly five billion in net profit, not even counting the profits from spin-offs and merchandise.

After all, merchandise was the golden sickle that kept harvesting profits endlessly.

When Zhong Corporation’s minor shareholders began bailing out and dumping their stocks, Xie Shiqing quickly gathered them all up and openly appeared at Zhong Corporation’s shareholders’ meeting.

At that time, Zhong Ning still knew nothing about it. Her coursework this semester was far heavier than the last; with morning and afternoon classes every day, she was extremely busy, only able to spend half a day at the company each week.

Xie Shiqing’s actions were both secretive and swift. By the time Zhong Lin realized something was wrong, the two of them already held equal shares, each occupying 35%.

At the shareholders’ meeting, the moment Xie Shiqing appeared, Zhong Lin’s expression changed instantly. She stared at her for a long time before speaking each word clearly: “So it was you.”

“Aunt Zhong, it’s been a few days. How has your health been?” Xie Shiqing smiled gracefully, her tone carrying concern.

Zhong Lin gave a cold snort, her smile sharp and false. “Whether I’m well or not, don’t you already know?”

“Aunt Zhong is getting older. It’s about time to step back and enjoy your later years. I came today precisely to invite Aunt Zhong to take a rest.”

Xie Shiqing smiled, her tone soft and breezy, as if saying something pleasant. Yet her words made Zhong Lin’s eyes narrow slightly, her face dark as ink.

She let out a cold laugh. “The two of us hold equal shares. Do you really think you have the qualifications to say that?”

“There are no loose shares left outside. Aren’t you jumping too fast? Celebrating too early?”

Xie Shiqing rested one hand lightly at her waist, raised her other arm, and beckoned behind her. Assistant Fang stepped forward, carrying a folder, and placed it onto the long table.

Her red cheongsam was like a symbol of victory, paired with her crimson lips, exuding an oppressive aura. “Why doesn’t Aunt Zhong take a look at this document first?”

A bad premonition surged in Zhong Lin’s chest. She reached out and opened the folder, her eyes instantly landing on the bold words at the top: Share Transfer Agreement.

She quickly flipped to the back and saw the signature—Zhong Ning!

Zhong Ning had actually transferred 8% of her shares to her! Was she insane?

In that instant, countless conspiracy theories exploded in Zhong Lin’s mind, one after another tumbling forth.

“I now hold 43% of the shares, making me the largest shareholder of Zhong Corporation.” She smiled as she pushed up her sunglasses. “From this day on, everyone in this company will follow my direction.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep