stonecrandall Chapter 61 Ants Shaking a Tree
Chapter 61 Ants Shaking a Tree
In the farce of fighting for interests, there are never any winners.
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Countdown to the bet: Six days.
The International Hall of the National Convention Center was a magnificent sight, with lights cascading down from the gilded dome, dazzling the eyes. A long, scarlet velvet carpet stretched out, its grandeur rivaling that of the Oscars.
The giant, gilded logos of FOX and Tianyi Group hung side-by-side in the center, while tiered crystal champagne towers stood in a staggered arrangement, their crystal glasses reflecting the room's brilliance. Imported champagne roses surrounded the space, and exquisitely designed themed cakes filled the room with their sweet aroma.
Yu Li was determined to make a splash today. She wore a sharply tailored haute couture suit that accentuated her slender figure, highlighting her delicate, wasp waist. Her ten-centimeter stilettos clicked crisply with each step, exuding an imposing aura. She was like a peacock that had just defeated its opponent, its tail held high enough to pierce the ceiling.
Thinking about the dramatic "catching a turtle in a jar" scene from last night, she felt a secret sense of satisfaction.
Zhang Zhishan brought a few thugs to Tianyi to seize the company seal. She immediately called 110 (the police emergency number) and had him sent directly to the detention center. Actually, the main reason for his detention wasn't the seal-stealing; it was that he lost his temper and slapped Wang Chao.
The surveillance footage was crystal clear, and the evidence was irrefutable. Many company employees took numerous photos from various angles with their mobile phones, so Zhang Zhishan couldn't deny it even if he had ten mouths.
She made Wang Chao and his lawyer insist that Zhang Zhishan had suffered a concussion and refused to mediate, no matter how much money was offered. She wanted Zhang Zhishan to spend a few days in detention, eating cold steamed buns, so that he could calm down and have some peace and quiet.
The founder of Tianyi, who was once so high and mighty, was now in detention with a bunch of scoundrels? Just thinking about it made Yu Li feel a twisted sense of pleasure, even more refreshing than eating chilled drunken crab. She was as happy as could be.
She kept checking the time, her fingers almost breaking the strap of her Patek Philippe watch. If the signing with FOX went smoothly today, fate would be hers. Then she could buy Zhang Zhishan's shares at a low price, fire him, and everything would be perfect. It wasn't that she was ruthless; it was Zhang Zhishan who had acted unscrupulously first.
With only one minute remaining before the agreed deadline, the FOX delegation strode into the venue in a grand procession. The group was all tall and imposing, exuding an air of prestige and the sharp aura unique to multinational corporations.
Yu Li's initial anxiety vanished instantly, disappearing without a trace. She immediately put on a flawless professional fake smile and greeted her, "Welcome! So glad you made it!"
Inside the detention center, Zhang Zhishan was like a mad dog locked in a cage, so angry he felt like his insides were steaming. He simply couldn't understand how taking his own company's official seal and financial seal made him a "thief."
He saw on the lawyer's phone the signing ceremony between Yu Li and FOX, with flashes going off everywhere, dazzling the eyes. Yu Li was still maintaining an elegant demeanor, signing, clinking glasses, shaking hands, and opening champagne with the president of FOX Asia Pacific... The moment the camera froze, it was a scene straight out of the "Niu Hulu Yu Li" deification ceremony.
Enraged, he threw his lawyer's phone away and roared, "I'm declaring the company seal and financial seal invalid! It's illegal for them to detain me! Let me out! Fuck them!" He had already cursed Yu Li's ancestors for eighteen generations, and there was no trace of a CEO left in him.
The lawyer, his face contorted in a grimace, picked up the phone, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly: "Mr. Zhang, stop yelling. You'll only be shouting until your throat is hoarse. Not only did you seize the company seal and financial seal, but you also slapped Wang Chao! He's now adamant that you maliciously assaulted him and absolutely refuses mediation. I've risked my life to negotiate, and you'll be detained for at least seven days. Don't you understand?!"
Zhang Zhishan understood exactly what was going on. After seven days, once the betting period was over, he was doomed to lose completely.
"It's that bitch Yu Li! She's been trying to ruin me! She wants to kick me out and take all the credit for herself? Dream on! I'll make sure she suffers, even if it means my death!"
"You were too impulsive..." the lawyer cursed inwardly. Even if he was going to do it, he shouldn't have rolled up his sleeves and gotten his hands dirty himself. Wasn't that just plain stupid?! And he even hit Wang Chao and threatened others not to stop him. Who wouldn't take the opportunity to extort money from him? He was just handing someone a handle to use against him. He'd watched too many Hong Kong movies! But it was too late to say anything now, and he could only feel disgusted by his stupidity.
"Go find Chairman Li! Ask him to bail me out and get me out of here first!" Zhang Zhishan's communication devices were all confiscated.
"Chairman Li signed a share transfer agreement with General Manager Yu last night, but we can't find it anywhere."
"Chairman Wang? Chairman Liang? They can't just stand by and watch us die!"
"He won't answer my calls at all... Mr. Zhang, your family also told me to advise you not to stubbornly resist, but to try to get more money from Mr. Yu, so that you don't end up with nothing..." The lawyer couldn't bring himself to say anything more hurtful. The Zhang family had already cursed him to the point of being disgusting. Even though he had seen many family feuds before, he still felt that those words were too harsh.
Zhang Zhishan froze, how could he not understand the lawyer's subtext? His heart turned ice-cold.
It's one thing for the business partner to run away—after all, profit comes first—but now even family members are undermining him? When it came to investing and waiting for dividends, they praised him to the skies, practically wanting to erect a statue of him and burn incense for him every day. Now that things have gone wrong, he's become the culprit?!
The empire he built with his whole heart and soul ended up with no one left to speak up for him.
Zhang Zhishan's lips curled into a sardonic, desolate laugh: "Fine, they're all right. I should think this over carefully. Yu Li wants me to take the money and leave, right? I'll talk to her! But I need to get out now so she can figure something out! Immediately! Right now! I can't wait a second longer!"
The lawyer relayed Zhang Zhishan's words verbatim to Yu Li, who still kept Zhang Zhishan hanging for three full days before finally relenting and getting Wang Chao to "reluctantly" agree to a settlement. Actually, she really wanted to wait a full seven days before talking to Zhang Zhishan, but she was about to go abroad with FOX people to discuss business, and she was always hesitant to do anything without getting things settled with Zhang Zhishan.
In just three days, Zhang Zhishan had already broken down. When he was taken out, his hair was matted together, stubble covered his cheeks, and two glaring white hairs had appeared on his temples. The "limited edition" shirt he wore in the detention center was wrinkled like pickled vegetables and smelled strongly of sweat. Even the stray cats rummaging through the trash cans on the roadside smelled fresher than him.
The Maybach stopped steadily in front of him, and Zhang Zhishan plunged inside, heading straight for the high-end Cantonese restaurant that overlooked half of Beijing.
This is the "fixed canteen" after the monthly board meeting of Tianyi, because Yu Li prefers the night view from here. She likes the sense of control she gets when overlooking the capital city, which gives her a sense of accomplishment.
Inside the private room, Yu Li sat in the main seat, her makeup exquisite down to the last strand of her hair. Beside her were not only a lawyer, but also two towering bodyguards and assistants, guarding Zhang Zhishan as if he were a thief.
When Zhang Zhishan came in, he deliberately didn't change out of his detention center "battle uniform," and sat down opposite Yu Li with a swagger, clearly intending to disgust her.
Yu Li raised an eyelid, looking at him with disdain as if he were some kind of unrecyclable trash. She didn't bother with any pleasantries and simply slammed an acquisition agreement on the table. "Sign it, take the money and leave. I'll forgive and forget your past misdeeds. Let's part ways amicably."
Zhang Zhishan picked up the agreement, glanced at the price, and laughed in anger. He grabbed the stack of papers and threw them directly at Yu Li's face!
"Fifty million?! You think you can fob me off like that? You got billions in investment from FOX, and this is all you give me? Why don't you just rob a bank?!"
The piece of paper hit Yu Li in the face, and she was stunned for a moment before her face turned ashen. Her harsh words came out like knives: "According to the betting agreement, you won't get a single penny if you lose. Giving you fifty million is me giving you face, out of consideration for you being Zihao's father. Don't be ungrateful!"
"There are still three days left in the bet, and I haven't lost yet!"
"What else can you use to beat me?"
Yu Li scoffed, her eyes filled with disdain as if she were looking at a cockroach in a gutter. "You have no money, no one to rely on, and everyone has turned against you. What do you have to fight me with? Be smart and break up with me gracefully, so you don't end up not even getting this little bit of money."
These words were like a poisoned needle, piercing Zhang Zhishan's heart. He suddenly burst into maniacal laughter, pulled a voice recorder from his pocket, and smashed it directly onto the gleaming tabletop.
"Talk to me about decency? Where was your decency when you instructed Wang Chao to fake a concussion to stage an accident?! Let's not say who's worse; if we really dig into the past, we're both covered in filth. Don't try to act all innocent with me!"
Yu Li's eyes widened instantly, and her face turned pale, because the recording pen played a conversation she made on the phone in the villa, instructing Wang Chao to keep pressing the issue.
But besides her, the only other person in the house was that honest and simple nanny; even Zhang Zihao wasn't there...
Zhang Zhishan sneered. Did they really think he hadn't made any arrangements? He knew that after he left, Yu Li would definitely send someone to check if surveillance cameras had been installed, so he specially gave the nanny a new cell phone, asking her to help take care of their son. Actually, it had a hidden recording device inside, which he could listen in on. It was a pity that the nanny hadn't opened it until these past few days; otherwise, he wouldn't be in such a passive position regarding the FOX incident.
Yu Li's nails dug into her palms, and she could no longer maintain her composure: "You think you can threaten me by recording me? I have plenty of evidence that you embezzled public funds to support your lover!"
"Embezzlement? That's what I deserve!" Zhang Zhishan's voice instantly rose. "Don't you have any idea how fate works?! If I hadn't run myself ragged finding channels and swallowed my pride to secure resources back then, would you be where you are today?! All those shady public relations deals and kickbacks you've done behind the scenes, no matter how neatly you keep the accounts, there are still traces. Don't think that just because you pretend to be a respectable person, no one knows about your dirty deeds!"
"Zhang Zhishan! What nonsense are you spouting? You're making baseless accusations!" Yu Li screamed, jumping up and down, her carefully styled hair now disheveled. "Do you think I really don't know where all the money you lost gambling went? Keeping a mistress, transferring assets—you think you've been so discreet? You don't want this 50 million, but how long are you going to shirk responsibility for the money your relatives back home have to pay off your debts? Your mother is still working hard back home to pay off your debts, and you've always touted yourself as a filial son! Now, you're not saying a word about it? You've lost everything, even your mother's funeral savings! Get your head straight, wake up!"
Mentioning his mother, Zhang Zhishan completely broke down. His last shred of bargaining sanity crumbled. His eyes bloodshot, he roared, "You bitch, I'll fucking kill you!" As he spoke, Zhang Zhishan tried to grab something from the table to smash it, but found nothing there. Yu Li had anticipated this, clearing the table to prevent him from throwing things!
Zhang Zhishan was trembling with anger. He looked around, trying to find something to vent his anger on. In his desperation, he tore off his shoe, grabbed it, and threw it hard at Yu Li!
Yu Li was terrified. She screamed and tried to dodge to the side, but in her panic, her high heels twisted, and she almost fell. Just then, two bodyguards pounced on Zhang Zhishan like hungry tigers, pinning him down on either side of the still-cursing Zhang Zhishan. They held him firmly to the ground, rendering him unable to move a single finger.
"You slut! You whore! You poisonous woman! I will never let you go..." Zhang Zhishan continued to curse.
Yu Li was trembling with rage. Pointing at Zhang Zhishan on the ground, she shouted, "Call the police! Call the police right now! Zhang Zhishan! You'll never get out of here again!"
That afternoon, the entire internet was in an uproar.
Not only did the internet erupt in uproar over Zhang Zhishan's second stint in prison, but the complete, unedited video of Yu Li and Zhang Zhishan tearing each other apart also spread like wildfire across all social media platforms.
The video features a mix of Shanghainese and Mandarin profanities, matching leather shoes, and bodyguards subduing people like criminals—all in high-energy, uncut footage. Viewers were thrilled, clamoring for a sequel and eagerly anticipating more, treating it like a mini-series.
The video was secretly filmed by a waiter at the club who was "keeping his mission hidden." He heard the shouting inside, so he peeked through a crack in the door and stuck his phone in. He sold the video to a platform, made a quick buck, and immediately quit and disappeared. The club also swiftly distanced itself from the waiter, resolutely refusing to take responsibility, while secretly gloating.
But no one had time to investigate, because Zhang Zhishan was already in jail, and there was nothing they could do about it. Yu Li never expected that she would be so easily outmaneuvered by such a lowly waiter.
But she couldn't afford to scold those around her for not keeping a closer eye on things. She could only rely on the public relations department to put out the fire and prevent it from affecting FOX's important business trip abroad with her the day after tomorrow. That was the most important thing right now.
Tianyi's official Weibo account quickly issued a statement on the platform, condemning Zhang Zhishan for "defamation and spreading rumors," "violent assault," and "mental instability." It also released some evidence of Zhang Zhishan "keeping a mistress" and "embezzling funds," attempting to portray Yu Li as the perfect victim who "could not bear it any longer and was forced to fight back."
Unfortunately, this generation of netizens has already developed a keen eye for detail. In the public sphere, the word "statement" is basically equivalent to "Look here, this is a case of trying to hide something."
Like sharks smelling blood, self-media outlets frantically dissected Yu Li's rise to power and her network of political and business connections; while relationship bloggers relentlessly exploited the melodramatic core of "couple falling out and tearing each other apart over property," with titles like "Fate's Hidden Curtains," "The Exposed Beauty CEO," and "A Shocking Reversal in the Seal Seal Case" appearing one after another, making it impossible to suppress the hype.
Moreover, it wasn't just Yu Li and Zhang Zhishan; even Song Yaxuan and her son were dragged into the mess by netizens. Song Yaxuan's biological father was suspended from his job and is under investigation. Even the top celebrity Wang Xiaoye was dragged into the spotlight, and his numerous apologies were of little use, because other people were implicated in his case.
Yu Li's persona as an "independent and powerful businesswoman" collapsed overnight, faster than the foundation on her face fell off, as the attention of tax authorities and auditors shifted to "divine intervention".
A single ant, while withering a giant tree of capital, also tripped up countless elephants...