Chapter 481: Chapter 310: An Office Romance Is So Awesome
"I didn’t plan on coming to this company to take over any business at first. I just wanted a part-time job during the break to get some experience. Since you and Yaoyao both have jobs, I was afraid we wouldn’t have much in common," Chen Yuan shrugged. "Who knew my dad would misunderstand me and make me the chairman as soon as I got here."
Now, he couldn’t wash his hands of it even if he wanted to. He was the controlling shareholder. The profits were his, but any losses would also come straight out of his own pocket. If he really couldn’t make payroll, Chen Yuan might have to go to Jiang Zhengfeng, swallow his pride, and beg for money.
Chen Yuan definitely didn’t want that to happen.
It would be too embarrassing.
That’s why the company had been on his mind lately, and he’d been coming over whenever he was free.
Of course, it feels different when it’s your own business versus someone else’s. Fortunately, Jiang Zhengfeng had also left him a team of highly capable people, which was just what Chen Yuan needed to go from toddling to walking on his own.
"Then does your father know about me and Yaoyao?" Jiangg Ning asked, a hint of panic in her voice.
"Probably not, I’ve never told him. In fact, we only see each other a few times a year. The most time we spent together was back when I switched schools in middle school. Now, we only meet if there’s something urgent."
"I see."
Jiangg Ning instantly felt a wave of relief, and the immense pressure that had suddenly fallen upon her eased considerably.
When a relationship is saddled with so much meaning that it’s no longer just a simple romance, her and Jiangg Yao’s previously casual attitude becomes utterly disastrous.
At this thought, Jiangg Ning recalled all the things that had happened between her sister and Chen Yuan, and her heart was thrown into turmoil. They were so lucky Chen Yuan was such a good-natured person. If he were some rich, arrogant jerk and they had provoked him, he could have found any number of excuses to make life difficult for the two sisters, and they would have been utterly helpless.
Having learned the truth so abruptly, Jiangg Ning suddenly felt she could no longer treat this relationship so lightly.
Chen Yuan was unaware of the complex turmoil in her heart. Because no matter whose son he was or what his background was, Chen Yuan had always just thought of himself as himself—always the same shy, sincere person on the inside as he was on the outside.
"I didn’t expect you to come to the company. Actually, even if you hadn’t, I was planning on telling you both on my birthday anyway. This just saves me the trouble," he said with a sudden smile.
It was that smile, identical to how it had always been, that soothed Jiangg Ning’s chaotic mind. The tension that had gripped her loosened its hold.
She lowered her head slightly, strands of hair falling to frame her face, a look of relief finally softening her features.
’That’s right.’
’Chen is just Chen, separate from all that complicated stuff. I’ve just been overthinking things.’
"I still can’t quite believe it," Jiangg Ning said, pressing her lips together. She asked curiously, "By the way, Chen, are you even aware of the full extent of your family’s background?"
"Huh? What’s there to be unclear about? My dad has the Jiang Corporation, right?"
"It’s not that simple. I knew you didn’t have the full picture."
Jiangg Ning rose and slowly paced over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Her silhouette was elegant, her long hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall. As the golden midday sun bathed her in light, she stood by the window and peered down below.
Chen Yuan watched her back, puzzled.
"Energy is the lifeblood that keeps an entire country running. Most of its limited resources are completely untouchable for ordinary people; they’re held firmly in the state’s grasp. In last year’s Fortune Global 500 list, Huaxia Power Grid ranked third. Electricity, oil, natural gas, new energy sources, nuclear power—all of these fall under the umbrella of ’energy.’ But because including these state-owned Huaxia giants in rankings is too unfair to private companies, there’s a separate list. Chen, do you know where Jiang Energy ranked last year?"
Jiangg Ning turned back to look at him, a gentle smile playing on her lips.
"Where?"
"With 1.1 trillion yuan in total assets, it ranked in the top twenty in Huaxia."
"How many... hundred million?" Chen Yuan was stunned.
"Not hundred million, Chen. One trillion," Jiangg Ning replied, somewhat amused.
"?"
Chen Yuan knew the Jiang Corporation was a big deal, but hearing the actual figures from Ningning, he was utterly dumbfounded. He felt his mind go blank.
’Then again, a company of this scale is less of a business and more of a massive, living entity,’ he thought. ’Although Jiang Zhengfeng is the one at the helm, his actual controlling stake probably isn’t absurdly high.’
’Even so, it’s still staggering.’
Jiang Energy wasn’t the same Jiang company known for photovoltaics. Its predecessor had been another behemoth entirely, but due to various unspeakable and irresistible forces, it was completely transformed, becoming the Jiang company of today.
Jiang Zhengfeng happened to be standing at a fateful crossroad at that exact moment, which allowed him to forge this legend by swallowing the massive, dragon-like corpse of his predecessor.
Chen Yuan hadn’t yet realized what his sudden decision to find a job while juggling his studies meant to Jiang Zhengfeng. He didn’t understand why Jiang Zhengfeng had always told him not to get involved in the business world, that he should just live a comfortable, stable life as a second-generation heir.
Because no matter how hard he tried, it would be impossible for him to surpass Jiang Zhengfeng’s achievements.
Jiang Zhengfeng’s success was a product of coincidence, of fate—of things beyond even his own control.
Jiang Zhengfeng was a fish that had been swimming for a long, long time. Then, as if touched by an immortal, he began to grow dragon whiskers. His original goal was never to become a dragon, but merely to be a big fish.
An entrepreneur with a backbone. That was all.
Chen Yuan wanted to try hard and see if he could find his own path; his future was still a work in progress. But by accepting control of one of Jiang Zhengfeng’s private companies, he had sent a dangerous signal. He had made Jiang Zhengfeng mistakenly believe that he no longer wanted to live the quiet life of a wealthy heir.
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