The Only One With a Mouth in the CEO Novel - Chapter 18: Act More Fragile Later

Chapter 18: Act More Fragile Later

Gu Qingyang returned to the President’s Office in a grand and imposing manner.

He directly opened another office adjacent to Gu Chenxi’s.

Under the supervision of several oldtimers on the board of directors, he took over half of Gu Chenxi’s workload.

Even half of the employees in the President’s Office now fell under Gu Qingyang’s jurisdiction.

However, none of this had much to do with Ye Jin, and her work remained largely unchanged.

Three days later, in the morning, Ye Jin ran into Gu Qingyang in the break room.

You… what happened to you?

Why did he look completely drained, even more disheveled than when he was at the distribution center?

And what are you wearing?Ye Jin tugged at his wrinkled light blue shirt and said with disdain, ‘How many days has it been since you washed your clothes?

Don’t even ask. I didn’t sleep at all last night. Gu Qingyang, with dark circles under his eyes and a dazed expression, added a double shot of espresso to his cup and muttered vaguely, Gu Chenxi’s job is practically inhuman.

After hearing this, Ye Jin shrugged and smiled, as if she had long anticipated this outcome.

Gu Qingyang tightened his grip on the cup.

When he encountered Ye Jin in the break room, he had already prepared himself to be lectured by her. To his surprise, not only did Ye Jin treat him as usual, but she was even smiling.

Sis, why aren’t you scolding me this time?

He hadn’t followed Ye Jin’s advice to rotate through the group’s departments step by step. Instead, he had leaped directly to a position on par with Gu Chenxi.

Not being scolded by Ye Jin left him feeling uneasy.

Ye Jin calmly took a sip of tea and indicated, Haven’t you already been punished?

There was no need for her to take action herself.

Gu Qingyang: …

So she had already guessed.

Gu Qingyang lowered his head and quietly confessed to Ye Jin, Actually, it wasn’t my idea to…

Before he could finish, someone suddenly interrupted, President Gu, the meeting is about to resume. Please hurry over.

Gu Qingyang had no choice but to leave immediately.

Ye Jin watched his retreating figure, shook her head, and murmured, Poor kid.

Since Gu Chenxi took over, Vastness Group had successfully expanded deeply into many fields, with numerous subsidiaries of various types.

The personnel were complex, and the workload was overwhelming.

Even though Gu Qingyang had only taken on half of Gu Chenxi’s responsibilities, he was already swamped and struggling to keep up.

But many were unwilling to wait.

After carving up this lucrative piece of the pie, they turned their attention to the other half still in Gu Chenxi’s hands.

Boss, the media is everywhere outside.

The Bentley was surrounded by reporters and cameramen holding microphones, pounding on the windows, trying to get the occupants to step out.

Gu Chenxi shot Ye Jin a bored look.

He wasn’t blind; he could see.

Ye Jin quickly geared up, putting on a face mask and her ugly glasses.

Boss.

Then, she looked up and asked seriously, Do you know what ‘fragility’ means?

Gu Chenxi: ?

Ye Jin: Can you act a bit more fragile later?

She briefly explained fragility to him: You know, that kind of wounded, restrained expression.

Gu Chenxi: …

Ye Jin tried to reason with him: If you don’t do this, we won’t be able to get away.

Ignoring her, Gu Chenxi pushed the door open and stepped out of the car.

He was immediately surrounded by the media.

Ye Jin hurriedly got out from the other side and positioned herself in front of Gu Chenxi.

The reporters clamored, shouting out their questions:

What are your thoughts regarding the recent explosion incident?

Is it true that you deliberately damaged company assets and endangered employees’ lives to force your brother out of Vastness Group?

How will you handle the compensation for the injured employee?

The injured employee has exposed your misconduct online will you be filing a lawsuit?

In the original plotline, Gu Chenxi was removed from his position at this juncture due to rumors claiming he suffered from mutism.

Amid the public outcry, Vastness’ stock prices plummeted, forcing Gu Chenxi to resign as CEO.

Although he later regained control of Vastness through various means, he still had to prove to the shareholders that he didn’t have mutism.

This unnecessarily prolonged the conflict.

This time, Ye Jin intervened by turning his mutism into a melodramatic love story, directly eliminating one of his opponents’ weapons against him.

Thus, they had to find other faults with Gu Chenxi.

After much searching, they eventually settled on the explosion incident as their ammunition.

So the current situation remained: Vastness’ stocks were falling, and Gu Chenxi was being forced to resign as CEO during a board meeting.

Reporters fired questions relentlessly, thrusting microphones right in Gu Chenxi’s face.

Ye Jin stepped forward to block the microphones. Everyone, please calm down and step back.

Though no one listened to her, Ye Jin used her considerable strength to push the reporters back, creating a buffer zone around Gu Chenxi.

Clearly, these reporters had been strategically planted by certain parties.

Their current location was Vastness Group’s old headquarters a factory complex in the old district that served as the power base for Gu Qingyang’s elderly backers.

After Gu Chenxi took over Vastness, he had moved most operations to the central business district highrises, gradually reducing the old headquarters to a mere formality.

Now, the security guards who should have been at the company entrance were nowhere to be seen, leaving them trapped by the reporters.

Ye Jin had been right earlier there was no way they could leave.

Moreover, Gu Chenxi wasn’t accustomed to having a woman shield him.

The sight of Ye Jin’s slender back standing before him was particularly glaring.

Gu Chenxi thought for a moment, recalling Ye Jin’s description, and adopted an expression of profound vulnerability.

That fragile aura served as the perfect filter for any man.

Gu Chenxi was handsome to begin with, naturally reticent, and cultivated an aura of restrained depth.

Everyone had grown accustomed to his commanding, authoritative presence this sudden display of vulnerability triggered maternal instincts in those around him.

No woman could possibly resist it.

Ye Jin heard gasps rising around her.

The reporters were all staring wideeyed behind her, their pushing noticeably weakening.

Ye Jin: ?

Curious, she turned around and saw Gu Chenxi’s expression.

…

Weren’t you just refusing to play along?

CEO Gu! Rumor has it you have an unrequited love a white moonlight and that you stopped speaking because of her. Is this true?

A reporter seized the momentary silence to shout this question.

Gu Chenxi: …?

So this was how she had spread rumors about him that night?

He glanced down at Ye Jin, nearly losing his carefully maintained vulnerable expression.

No wonder everyone had been looking at him that way that night.

Ye Jin: …We’ve been exposed.

She composed herself, seeing this as the perfect opportunity to put an end to this farce once and for all.

Ye Jin: Regarding the explosion case, the police are still investigating. My boss had no knowledge of it whatsoever—he was a victim too. Please make way, we have work to attend to.

It was a standard, clearcut response.

Under normal circumstances, interviewees would have taken the hint and stepped aside after such a statement.

But thanks to some hidden monetary influence, they hesitated and refused to move.

Ye Jin continued, My memory is excellent. If any of you continue to harass us, I guarantee you’ll receive a lawyer’s letter from me tomorrow.

That was more cutting.

One person immediately covered their microphone’s logo.

Ye Jin smiled and effortlessly called out the company name: Too late, Great Entertainment. Your actions today are anything but great.

Soon after, Ye Jin successfully navigated through the crowd with Gu Chenxi and entered the company.

In the conference room.

Due to the delay outside, everyone had already arrived by the time they got there.

Gu Qingyang sat in the boss’s chair at the head of the table. As Ye Jin and Gu Chenxi approached, he began to feel the seat grow uncomfortably hot, fidgeting uneasily as he wrestled with his thoughts.

Gu Chenxi sat calmly in a lower seat, facing Lu Tianlang.

Ye Jin took a seat beside Gu Chenxi.

The room fell silent.

Gu Qingyang leaned past Gu Chenxi to whisper to Ye Jin, I heard you were surrounded by the media. Are you both alright?

Ye Jin: We’re fine.

Just as Gu Qingyang was about to say more, he was interrupted.

Alright, let’s get down to business, said a sternlooking older man. Gu Chenxi, what explanation do you have for today’s media reports?

What explanation could Gu Chenxi possibly give? This was clearly a deliberate attempt to provoke him.

Ye Jin calmly responded on his behalf, This matter has nothing to do with President Gu. It’s purely unfounded speculation by the media.

Gu Chenxi looked over with a composed expression, as if to say: Ye Jin’s words speak for me.

With Gu Chenxi backing her, even if they were displeased, they didn’t dare target Ye Jin.

So, they proceeded to perform a oneman show in front of Gu Chenxi.

When it came to seizing power, the arguments were always the same old tune.

Ye Jin had heard it all so many times her ears were calloused.

In contrast, Gu Qingyang was repeatedly pressured by the older members to take a stance.

On one hand, he could only keep nodding in agreement, while on the other, he kept cautiously glancing at Ye Jin and Gu Chenxi.

When Gu Chenxi was present, everyone on the board behaved obediently, not daring to oppose him too strongly.

But with Gu Qingyang in the seat, he became a manipulated puppet.

Moreover,

Gu Qingyang suddenly realized he actually preferred sitting below, quietly complaining about them with Ye Jin.

Lu Tianlang sat across from them.

Taking in their expressions, a thoughtful glint flashed in his eyes.

The board meeting concluded with Gu Chenxi resigning from his position as CEO.

Everyone present had anticipated this outcome, and the meeting ended uneventfully.

After the meeting, Lu Tianlang invited Ye Jin and Gu Chenxi to his office for tea.

Xiao Ye, Lu Tianlang poured her a cup of tea and said kindly, If there’s anything you need my help with, just say the word.

Ye Jin smiled and replied, Thank you, President Lu. I will.

That old fox Lu Tianlang had abstained from voting during the motion to remove Gu Chenxi from his position earlier.

Now that the board meeting had concluded, it was time to resume playing the good guy.

Assistant Ye, could you give me a headsup in advance? Lu Tianlang leaned forward, elbows propped on the table, and asked in a low voice, What exactly was your plan?

Having observed everything up to this point, Lu Tianlang grew increasingly convinced that the two brothers actually shared a deep bond.

So he couldn’t resist asking.

Ye Jin smiled calmly and replied mysteriously, Your guess is correct. This was indeed a scheme orchestrated jointly by the two Gu executives.

So it really was!

Lu Tianlang slapped the table excitedly, his tone turning cold. I’ve long been fed up with those privileged connections—a bunch of parasites who do nothing in the company yet constantly skim profits. It’s high time they were dealt with.

Believing he had uncovered the truth, Lu Tianlang continued triumphantly, They thought they could drive a wedge between you two brothers to profit from the division, never realizing you had seen through their plot all along and even turned the tables by putting on a show for them.

As he spoke, Lu Tianlang inadvertently helped Ye Jin complete the logical narrative.

No wonder! Haha, I never understood before why these two brothers, who clearly get along so well, would make their surface relationship appear so strained.

Now I get it, haha, now I finally understand it all.