The Empty Bridal Chamber

Chapter 7: I’m Not a Philanthropist

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Now was not the time to satisfy her curiosity. Lin Wanmeng went straight to the point. She placed the project proposal in front of Ye Lingxiao and explained her idea clearly.

Ye Lingxiao was a little surprised. He thought that this woman would complain or rant to him, but he didn’t expect her to not mention anything about Xia Qing.

“In short, this design is going to be light and extravagant. It will improve the quality of the design and materials without increasing the cost too much. The customer base will expand, the sales will increase, and the profits will double. It will be a win-win collaboration for Qinyu and Ruili.”

Lin Wanmeng confidently concluded, fully expecting Ye Lingxiao’s response.

However, Ye Lingxiao’s words sent a chill down her spine.

“Such a proposal will only cause both sides to lose everything.” Ye Lingxiao’s face was cold as he pushed her proposal away mercilessly.

Lin Wanmeng froze on the spot as if she had been cast with a spell. She could not say a word.

The design draft and proposal that she treated as a life-saving straw were not worth a single cent in Ye Lingxiao’s eyes?

She needed an explanation.

“The door is behind you,” Ye Lingxiao ordered coldly, ignoring Lin Wanmeng’s confused expression.

After a while, Lin Wanmeng clenched her fists and asked stubbornly, “I want to know why.”

Ye Lingxiao, who was signing documents, paused for a moment. When he looked up, he happened to meet the woman’s almond-shaped eyes that were filled with tears and unwillingness to admit defeat. His chest felt like it had been punched by someone. He couldn’t describe what he was feeling.

“There’s no lack of top fashion design companies in Beijing. Why should I choose you?” He threw out a seemingly ordinary question.

Lin Wanmeng hesitated for a few seconds and braced herself to give an answer. “I’m confident in my design plan.”

Before Ye Lingxiao commented on her project proposal, she might have been more confident in answering this question.

“The design of the product is out of place. The cost doesn’t decrease but increases instead. The positioning of the target customer base isn’t precise. How are you going to make a profit?” Ye Lingxiao hit the nail on the head.

He expected her to be provoked into becoming the biting rabbit again.

However, Lin Wanmeng took a deep breath and held back her tears. She said firmly, “I can modify it until you’re satisfied.”

She admitted that Ye Lingxiao was an absolutely qualified client and that she was a young businessman, but she still did not want to give up.

“I’ve already given you a chance. I’m a businessman, not an artist, and definitely not a philanthropist.” Ye Lingxiao didn’t change his principles and rejected her outright.

The rejection of the plan that she had painstakingly come up with was undoubtedly another blow to Lin Wanmeng. When she left the Ye Group, her entire body was numb.

In the office, Ye Lingxiao stood in front of the clear floor-to-ceiling window and looked at the woman’s injured back with a complicated look in his eyes.

…

Lin Wanmeng had forgotten how she returned to Qinyu. However, no matter how dejected she was, the people in the company were still waiting for her to take charge of the situation.

That’s right. If she gave up, who could these employees rely on? Her father, who pulled his wife and child to take the bullet when something happened?

After adjusting her mentality, she made a decision that had been brewing in her heart for a long time.

“Now that the company is in a difficult situation, it’s inevitable to fire employees. For employees who are fired or voluntarily leave, the company will compensate them with the corresponding severance pay. For the employees who stay, the company will pay the salary they owe.”

She instructed calmly, but her palms were already sweating.

Beside him, Zhou Quan was shocked and hurriedly reminded him in a low voice, “President Lin, the company’s funds are limited. If we give the employees salaries and severance pay, we’ll be completely broke.”

Zhou Quan was the acting general manager of the Qinyu Company. After Lin Wanmeng took over, he became the vice president again.

“No matter what, we can’t mistreat the employees who are guarding the company. Just do as I say.” Lin Wanmeng didn’t hesitate and her eyes were firm.

In any case, the company was already heavily in debt. The funds in the accounts were also a drop in the bucket. It was better to use them to benefit the employees. After all, employees were one of the motivations for the company to operate normally.

This way, she could give her employees a boost and also clean up the spies left behind by her father, Lin Bo.

After the meeting ended, Lin Wanmeng lowered her head and was speechless. Her fingers massaged her throbbing temples, and her heart was beating like a drum.

Her mind replayed the words Ye Lingxiao had said when he was commenting on the proposal. Finally, she was convinced by him.

Immediately after, she was so focused on revising the proposal that she did not even notice that Zhou Quan had returned to the meeting room.

After suffering so many blows, Lin Wanmeng’s self-healing ability had improved exponentially. After typing the last character, she smiled. “Success!”

Zhou Quan was surprised. “I didn’t expect President Lin to be so optimistic. She can still smile at a time like this. No, could it be that she’s under too much pressure and has gone crazy?”

“President Lin, are you alright?” Zhou Quan asked with concern.

Lin Wanmeng smiled and shook her head. She asked slowly, “The company is really poor now. Which client do you think is most likely to work with us on the new project?”

“I’m afraid… there isn’t any.” Zhou Quan sighed helplessly.

Lin Wanmeng expected him to say this, but she didn’t show any surprise.

Unexpectedly, after she showed Zhou Quan the new proposal, his eyes lit up.

“President Lin, this project is simply too good! Everything is ready now, we only lack funds.”

Seeing that Zhou Quan seemed to have an idea, she asked, “Do you have a way to get an investment?”

Zhou Quan smiled slyly. “Currently, the largest investment company in the country is the Ye Corporation.”

“…” Lin Wanmeng immediately made a cross gesture. “Not the Ye Group.”

She did not announce her marriage with Ye Lingxiao to the outside world because he had no intention of really marrying her.

However, it seemed like Zhou Quan already knew that she had married into the Lin family. It was probably Lin Bo who had revealed it.

She had just come back from Ye Lingxiao’s company and would not borrow money from him again. Now that she was living under someone else’s roof, she did not want to destroy her last bit of self-esteem.

Just because Ye Lingxiao didn’t like her proposal didn’t mean that others didn’t like it either. Hence, she asked Zhou Quan to think of a way to contact other companies.

Zhou Quan complained incessantly. He wondered why CEO Lin did not use such a rich husband. Why did she have to beg someone else? Was it to experience life?

However, he admired Lin Wanmeng’s determination from the bottom of his heart.

It was almost eight o’clock in the evening, and Lin Wanmeng was the only one working overtime in the company. After sketching the design draft, she stretched tiredly and subconsciously recalled the time when she was sketching drafts until late at night in school.

It was the same exhaustion, but now there was an inexplicable sense of tragedy.

Buzz—

The vibration of her phone interrupted her thoughts.

A message appeared on the screen. “My mother and your father are married.”

Lin Wanmeng’s eyes turned cold. Was Shi Qiuqiu planning to lay her cards on the table?