"Can I go in now?" Li Se asked, putting his phone away with a smile.
The security guard nodded immediately. "Of course!"
Even though he wasn't entirely sure if Li Se was Qiao Weiwei's boyfriend, the photo clearly indicated a non-trivial relationship between them. If not boyfriend and girlfriend, they were likely close, and as a mere security guard, he didn't dare to stop him.
The guard glanced around again, then lowered his voice. "It's on the top floor, they're still in a meeting. But even if you are Miss Qiao's boyfriend, you should be careful. The Qiao Corporation is no longer solely controlled by the Qiao family."
"I understand," Li Se nodded, then patted the guard's shoulder with a smile. "You have a bright future. What's your name?"
"Heh heh, Zhang San," the guard chuckled.
Li Se didn't linger in conversation with the guard and soon took the elevator to the top floor.
Meanwhile, in the top-floor conference room.
"Weiwei, you should go back to the hospital and accompany your father. He just had a car accident, and as his daughter, shouldn't you be by his side?" a hearty voice inquired.
The speaker was a middle-aged man, the vice president of the Qiao Corporation, Vice President Luo, Luo Qinglong.
He was fiddling with a jade pendant in his hand, his face radiating a smug satisfaction, clearly believing he had Qiao Weiwei cornered.
Qiao Weiwei's expression was grim. She hadn't expected that so soon after her father's accident, most of the company's power would have already been seized by this man. Moreover, those who had previously supported the Qiao family were now backing Luo Qinglong.
It wasn't entirely a betrayal, per se. The company's employees generally only recognized Qiao Guohua. Luo Qinglong himself was no exception. If Qiao Guohua were present, he wouldn't act out of line. But with Qiao Guohua in a car accident, it was natural for Luo Qinglong to seize the opportunity and take over the company.
It was standard practice for the vice president to act on behalf of the president when the latter was incapacitated.
As for Qiao Weiwei, though she was Qiao Guohua's daughter, she rarely came to the company. More importantly, she had been managing the Muzi Corporation in the capital during this period. Naturally, the entire Qiao Corporation would not recognize Qiao Weiwei, and they had all thrown their support behind Luo Qinglong.
"Miss Qiao, I think President Luo is right. You should go back and take care of Mr. Qiao."
"Leave the company matters to President Luo."
"We will always await Mr. Qiao's return."
"..."
Many people began to murmur amongst themselves. Their way of addressing Luo Qinglong had even changed, from Vice President Luo to President Luo. It was just one word, but it signified a completely different status.
Qiao Weiwei gritted her teeth. She knew that if her father returned, he could still reclaim his position as president. However, the issue was what clandestine operations Luo Qinglong might conduct during his tenure as the new president. By then, would the Qiao Corporation still be the same Qiao Corporation?
"Vice President Luo!" Qiao Weiwei emphasized the word "Vice" with particular force. "What, are you trying to quietly annex the corporation while my father is away?"
Luo Qinglong smiled. "Weiwei, why do you say that? Am I that kind of person? Today's meeting is adjourned. Most shareholders have already supported me. Do you think there's any need to continue discussions? That's it. Everyone is busy, and there are many matters within the corporation. Today's meeting has run too long. Do you know how much work accumulates in just one day?"
"Vice President Luo, are you treating me like a child who knows nothing?" Qiao Weiwei was no longer a pushover. After all, she had served as president of the Muzi Corporation, which was no small entity, unlike the current Qiao Corporation.
Of course, the primary reason she could successfully manage the Muzi Corporation was Li Se. Most of the difficult issues had been handled by Li Se, leaving her only to step into the leadership role.
Now, facing the Qiao Corporation, the challenges were different. She needed to gain everyone's support. Although everyone currently supported Vice President Luo, she wasn't flustered, as her father still held a significant number of shares.
"Everyone, it cannot be denied that Vice President Luo has some capabilities, but where can he lead the Qiao Corporation?"
Qiao Weiwei smiled faintly. "If I were to take over the Qiao Corporation, the situation would be completely different. Expanding into the capital would not be impossible. As for Vice President Luo, with the company in his hands, I fear it would simply become a tool for his personal service."
Many people exchanged glances but remained silent.
"Pfft..." Luo Qinglong couldn't help but laugh. "Weiwei, you truly are a dreamer, aiming to venture into the capital. With your capabilities, can you actually do it?"
"Why not?"
Just then, the conference room door was opened, and Li Se swaggered in.
Everyone in the conference room frowned. They had no idea who Li Se was and why he had suddenly appeared in their meeting.
"Who are you, and where do you get off speaking here?" Luo Qinglong asked with displeasure.
"Get out immediately!" someone else barked.
"Who is this? How did he get into the conference room? Security, where is security?" The people in the conference room were all unhappy. Regardless of the internal company matters, it was not the place for this unknown young man to voice his opinions.
"This is my husband!" Qiao Weiwei stated calmly.
Her words caused the entire room to fall silent. Everyone was incredulous. Qiao Weiwei's husband? When did they get married? They had no idea.
But that wasn't the crucial point. Even with that status, he shouldn't have barged into the conference room.
"Weiwei, you're quite amusing. Even if he is your man, this is hardly the place for you to show your affection. Alright, let's adjourn. Since he's your man, we won't say anything more. Take your man and go on a date." Luo Qinglong waved his hand, signaling the end of the meeting.
Many people were already packing their belongings, preparing to leave.
Qiao Weiwei said mildly, "My man is not simple. You should all know of the Muzi Corporation, right? It's established in the capital. I also went to the capital a while ago and served as president of the Muzi Corporation for a period. If you don't believe me, you can investigate thoroughly."
At this, everyone became uneasy.
They certainly knew of the Muzi Corporation. This company, along with the Muzi Group in Qingyun City, had intricate ties. But they hadn't expected that this young man before them might be the owner of the Muzi Corporation.