Qin He nodded, "That's what I thought, but it's already been investigated that the person behind Zhang Caiyu is Fang Yaozu."
If not for Fang Yaozu's investment, Zhang Caiyu's studio would have been bogged down in the mica lawsuit long ago, and Zhang Caiyu might even be in prison by now.
So, what exactly prompted Fang Yaozu to invest in a perfumery studio with a notorious reputation and a tainted name?
Qin He narrowed her eyes. She would have her answer soon. At the annual meeting, she was determined to question Fang Yaozu about his motives and find a solution.
Three days passed in a blink of an eye.
Today was the day of the Fang Corporation's annual meeting, and Fang Yaozu had invited many media outlets.
The venue for the annual meeting was set up in the grand auditorium next to the Fang Corporation building.
Fang Yaozu placed great importance on grandeur, and preparations for the Fang Corporation's annual meeting had begun two months prior, with the entire venue constructed to be incredibly impressive.
In previous years, the Fang Corporation's annual meetings had been held in the capital, so Gu Qichen and Qin He had never attended one hosted by the Fang Corporation. This was the first time they were holding their annual meeting in Qingcheng, and many prominent families from Qingcheng had received invitations from Fang Corporation.
As the third-largest group in Qingcheng, representatives from most major Qingcheng enterprises were present. The attendees were primarily the heads of these companies, accompanied by their wives, showing considerable respect to Fang Corporation.
Qin He and Gu Qichen arrived neither too early nor too late. By the time they arrived, many guests were already in the annual meeting hall.
The media reporters invited by Fang Yaozu were setting up their equipment, preparing for Fang Yaozu's address on the main stage later.
Qin He surveyed the guests and quickly located the host of the annual meeting.
Surrounded by people not far away was Fang Yaozu himself.
Qin He glanced at Gu Qichen, and they walked over.
Many people in the venue had already noticed Gu Qichen and Qin He and intended to approach them to say hello. Seeing that Gu Qichen and Qin He were heading straight for Fang Yaozu, they wisely halted their steps.
"The Fang family has always wanted to overshadow the Gu and Qin families. These two families have always been at odds with the Fang family, an outsider. What's the situation now?"
"I'm not sure. Keep your voices down, let's see how things unfold."
Qin He ignored the surrounding murmurs and walked to Fang Yaozu's side, her arm linked with Gu Qichen's.
Several sycophants who had been surrounding Fang Yaozu immediately took a few steps back upon seeing the couple, leaving the space for Gu Qichen and Qin He.
Fang Yaozu, as if just noticing Gu Qichen and Qin He, immediately broke into a brilliant smile.
"Ah, it's President Gu and Miss Qin! Your presence here today truly illuminates my humble company."
Fang Yaozu's smile creased his face. His face was somewhat rectangular, and his appearance suggested someone who did manual labor, showing the signs of age.
Qin He offered a polite smile.
"Fang Corporation has been established in Qingcheng for over ten years. We should have paid a visit sooner. However, Fang Corporation's main base is in the capital, and you are rarely in Qingcheng, so this is my first time meeting you. It's quite a rare occasion."
As Qin He finished speaking, Fang Yaozu put on an appearance of being overwhelmed with gratitude.
"Miss Qin, please don't say that, you flatter me. I came to Qingcheng to establish a company, so it is I who should be visiting you."
Gu Qichen, standing beside her, had a cool expression. "There's no need for pleasantries, Mr. Fang. We are here primarily to attend Fang Corporation's annual meeting and also have a matter we'd like to discuss with you."
"What matter could possibly warrant the attention of you two esteemed individuals?" Fang Yaozu feigned a look of confusion.
Qin He inwardly sneered. Fang Yaozu surely knew why they were here, but he was adept at playing the game. A businessman never burns bridges.
Qin He smiled, "Perhaps we could find a quieter place to sit and discuss it?"
Fang Yaozu appeared somewhat hesitant, gesturing to the guests. "Miss Qin, as you can see, it's Fang Corporation's annual meeting today, and so many guests are waiting for my attention. If you have any questions, please ask me here. I will answer them truthfully."
Gu Qichen's gaze turned cold.
Qin He pursed her lips and gently squeezed Gu Qichen's hand.
Fang Yaozu had likely anticipated their visit. The media cameras were already set up. If they were to question Fang Yaozu here, who knew what rumors would spread.
"Alright, we'll discuss it after the annual meeting then," Qin He said with a smile.
Fang Yaozu seemed surprised by Qin He's forbearance. He glanced at her with a knowing smile, the wrinkles on his face deepening, exuding the shrewdness of an old fox.
"Miss Qin, perhaps after the annual meeting, your question will already have an answer."
Qin He frowned. What did Fang Yaozu mean by that?
Soon, the Fang Corporation's annual meeting officially commenced. The guests were all seated.
When Fang Yaozu took the stage, the room fell silent.
Qin He crossed her arms, listening to Fang Yaozu speak eloquently on stage.
His speech was mainly about officially shifting the focus of the capital's Fang Corporation to Qingcheng.
This annual meeting was just the beginning; he would relocate the entire headquarters later.
Fang Yaozu lavished praise on Qingcheng, and finally, he looked in the direction of Qin He and Gu Qichen, making a pointed remark: "Fang Corporation's goal is to become the leading enterprise in Qingcheng."
The guests present were all presidents of Qingcheng enterprises, most of whom had grown up in Qingcheng and possessed a strong sense of local pride.
As soon as Fang Yaozu uttered those words, many eyes turned towards Qin He and Gu Qichen.
"Fang Yaozu is bold, this is a blatant provocation."
"Quite courageous, provoking two major families at once."
"It seems Qingcheng is about to get turbulent again. We'd best think carefully about how to align ourselves to ensure our companies thrive in the future."
"Is aligning with someone better? Or is it better not to align? I've always been a conservative person," someone whispered.
"Not aligning?" another person laughed. "Haven't you heard the saying 'when gods fight, lesser beings suffer'? Choosing the right benefactor early is the way forward. Otherwise, if you get caught up in it, which of these three families can you handle?"
Everyone appeared thoughtful. Qin He's expression remained unchanged, a faint smile on her lips, but her eyes were cold and bright, like reflecting a sharp blade.
Gu Qichen sat beside her, watching Fang Yaozu's eloquent speech with a detached gaze, as if Fang Yaozu's provocation had no effect on him.
Flashes of light from the cameras illuminated the scene.
Qin He turned her head and whispered to Gu Qichen with a smile, "It seems Fang Yaozu isn't very confident. Provoking us in front of so many people today, isn't that just to boost his own courage?"
Gu Qichen's lips curved into a smile. "He still hasn't realized that his rise to prominence in Qingcheng over the years is because I never considered him a rival, and our families never suppressed the Fang Corporation. Yet, he believes he achieved it through his own hard work."
Qin He nodded.
At least in her opinion, Fang Yaozu wasn't worthy of Gu Qichen's attention.