What did he just say? I'm the largest shareholder? When did he transfer all these shares to me? When this man gets protective, he doesn't care about anyone else at all. But this diamond-encrusted golden thigh — I am definitely holding on to it today.
I waited until the car door shut.
"Lin Chaoshang, you didn't even think before you started bragging out there, did you? Announcing me as your wife in public was one thing, but saying I'm the largest shareholder? Do you have any idea? The entire venture capital circle is going to be buzzing tomorrow. What if a rival checks the company's business registration? They'll find I don't even own a single share worth a tea egg. Won't my CEO's pampered wife persona crumble instantly?"
"It won't crumble. It's all real."
"Did you drink some fake booze tonight? What do you mean, real? Big brother, you can eat anything you want, but you can't just go around saying anything you want."
"See for yourself."
He took an envelope out of the door pocket. I got as far as the third line.
"Fifty-one percent? You've really lost it. This is your entire life's work. You're just handing over absolute control to me like this? Aren't you afraid that one day, on a whim, I'll take the money and run and kick you, the former CEO, right out the door?"
Oh my God, fifty-one percent. This isn't just hugging a golden thigh anymore. This is like pulling up an entire gold mine by the roots and dumping it on my head. Lin Chaoshang, you spendthrift. Are all men blinded by love this insane?
"I'm not afraid. You can't run. And I'm yours, too."
"I won't sign it. I don't deserve rewards I haven't earned. I, Su Jin, can carve out my own path in the workplace through sheer skill. I won't eat off of soft rice. I absolutely refuse to sign."
"You won't sign? Fine. Then consider this my dowry. When are you going to give me the bride price? I'm waiting to marry into your family."
Help. Someone stop this rule-breaking man. How can he say such shameless romantic lines with that icy, saint-like face without even blinking? What dowry? What marrying into the family? How did he manage to floor the gas pedal on this wild ride? My heart is really about to explode right here and now.
The smoke alarm went off on a Sunday.
"Is there a fire? What kind of chemical weapon are you making in there?"
"Don't come over. The oil is popping. It's a bit hot. It'll be out of the pan in a second."
"You call that charred lump in the pot almost ready to serve? I bought this big iron wok just last week, and you've already burnt a hole through the bottom."
"It's scrambled eggs with tomatoes. The recipe said to use high heat to reduce the sauce. The pot is poor quality. I'll buy a new one tomorrow."
"Since when do you add black truffles to scrambled eggs with tomatoes? And what is that bloody piece on the cutting board? Don't tell me that's five-thousand-a-pound Australian M9 Wagyu beef. And this range hood — why is it dripping some mysterious black liquid?"
"That's just from the fried eggs, when the heat wasn't quite right. The Wagyu is just a side dish, to add some extra protein. Replace the range hood, too."
Oh, good heavens. Using five-thousand-a-pound top-tier Wagyu as a side dish for scrambled eggs.
"Lin Chaoshang, you're a CEO worth hundreds of millions. Why are you so obsessed with torturing yourself in the kitchen? Would it kill you to just call a Michelin star chef to come over? Can you please just order takeout?"
"No, we can't. I have to show my efforts, so I can successfully marry into your family. The first rule for a man is that he must know how to cook."
"Get out of here. Husbandly virtue isn't meant to be used as a weapon against society. Go sit in the living room and reflect. I'm going to make some extra stinky snail noodles."
He ate two bowls.
"It's delicious. I want to eat it again tomorrow. My wife made this herself."
Help me. He's actually sitting there with that cold, detached face surrounded by the smell of snail noodles, and calling me wife so naturally.
The break room at Chaoshang Creative has a door that doesn't close properly, either. You would think people would learn.
"Do you guys really think Su Jin can fly up to the branches and turn into a phoenix? President Lin is just bored and looking for something new. He'll get tired of a grassroots girl with no background and no degree soon enough. He'll just toss her some severance pay and be done with it. If it weren't for her shameless crawling to the C-suite, she wouldn't even be qualified to be a receptionist or a cleaner at our company."
"Linda," I said, "did your Botox inject itself into your brain? Whether I crawled to the C-suite or not — don't you know? That S-tier project I just closed is the one your PR department has been struggling with for half a year without ever signing it. Since your business skills just got absolutely crushed by me, you can only hide in the break room and spread vicious rumors to feel better?"
"So what? Who do you think you are? Even if you signed a big deal by pure dumb luck, you don't even have a formal executive title in this company. President Lin never intended to give you any status at all. At best, you're just a high-level contractor he's keeping."
"You want to talk to me about status? You want to talk to me about titles, sister? I am currently the largest shareholder, with the power of life and death over this company. You're literally showing off your sword in front of Guan Yu. Open your big eyes and look closely. This is the transfer agreement for fifty-one percent of Chaoshang Creative. I'm no high-level contractor. I am the absolute majority stakeholder of this company. You don't need to come to work tomorrow."
"You — you forged this agreement. That's absolutely impossible. President Lin, look at her. She actually forged the equity papers, and she's arrogant enough to fire me."
Lin Chaoshang put a cup of hot water into my hands and took the iced coffee out of them.
"Stop drinking iced coffee. Drink some warm water." Then, to the room: "She didn't forge it. The company is hers. I'm just working for her."
"The big boss has spoken," Shen Miao said pleasantly. "Why aren't you scurrying off to handle your resignation?"
That's incredible. Lin Chaoshang using force against force like that is so cool it makes my legs go weak. The destructive power is comparable to a high-level psychological bombardment. How did this overbearing CEO script turn into an empress ascending the throne?