Chapter 302: I’ve Always Been Very Democratic

Du Group Conference Room.

The shareholders who had just entered were seated below, while Xu Shaochen sat at the head of the table with Du Ruyan sitting beside him.

The atmosphere in the entire conference room felt stifling. The silence was so tense you could hear everyone’s breathing.

“You all want the shares in Ruyan’s hands?”

Xu Shaochen broke the silence.

“Sir, if you’ll forgive my bluntness, this is an internal matter of our company. Outsiders shouldn’t interfere, don’t you agree?”

A middle-aged man wearing glasses looked at Xu Shaochen and spoke coldly.

The others said nothing, but it was clear they agreed with him.

“An outsider? Heh, perhaps you aren’t aware—Ruyan is my girlfriend, so that makes me part of the Du family. Am I still considered an outsider?”

Xu Shaochen chuckled lightly, not offering any clear response to the challenge.

The middle-aged man with glasses sneered and looked at Xu Shaochen with contempt: “But everyone here is a shareholder of Du Group. You don’t hold even a single share. That means you have no right to speak.”

The others smiled. Indeed, you being Du Ruyan’s boyfriend is a private affair within the Du family, but this is a matter of the company. Without shares, what right do you have to interfere?

They hadn’t attended Du Ruyan’s coming-of-age ceremony; otherwise, they wouldn’t dare to speak to Xu Shaochen like this.

“Miss, why don’t you just name your price?”

Everyone ignored Xu Shaochen and focused their attention on Du Ruyan. After all, the shares were in her hands, and Xu Shaochen was just an insignificant figure.

“I… I want to transfer ten percent of my shares to Shaochen, without any compensation. Now, he has the right to intervene, right?”

Du Ruyan’s delicate face turned pale, and she tightly gripped Xu Shaochen’s hand under the table. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

She had never encountered something like this before; she had always grown up under the protection of her father and brother.

When these people visited her father, they were always very kind and warm to her.

But now, with her father and brother gone, they had all revealed their true colors—vicious and terrifying, like devils.

“Absolutely not!”

As soon as Du Ruyan finished speaking, everyone’s expression changed, and they all slapped the table simultaneously.

“Miss, according to the company’s regulations, if a shareholder intends to transfer their shares, we shareholders have the right of first refusal under the same conditions.”

“That’s right, Miss. The Chairman and General Manager just passed away, and you’re already eager to hand the company over to an outsider? Forgive me, but I can’t imagine you would still protect the company’s interests. So, just sell the shares to us instead.”

“Exactly! According to the agreement, we have the right of first refusal. You can’t transfer the shares for free!”

Everyone became emotionally charged, becoming aggressive and overbearing.

“Smack!”

Xu Shaochen suddenly raised his hand and slapped the person closest to him, knocking the gold-rimmed glasses off their face.

“Ah!”

The middle-aged man cried out, five bright red finger marks appearing on his face.

The previously agitated crowd immediately fell silent.

“You want to buy them, right? Fine, how much will you offer?”

Xu Shaochen casually pointed at someone. It was a middle-aged man wearing a black shirt.

“For ten percent of the shares, I’ll offer three billion.”

The man in the black shirt scoffed, then spat out a number.

“Alright, then I’ll offer five billion.”

A slight smirk formed on Xu Shaochen’s lips as he raised the offer by two billion without hesitation.

As soon as Xu Shaochen finished speaking, everyone’s expression changed.

“You’re young, but you sure talk big. Five billion—can you really afford that?”

The man in the black shirt sneered at Xu Shaochen, clearly not believing he had the financial capability.

“Just because you’re poor, don’t assume I’m as pathetic as you, understand?”

Xu Shaochen spoke indifferently as he looked at the man in the black shirt, not hiding the disdain in his eyes.

“Outrageous!”

The man in the black shirt roared in anger.

“Bang!”

Before he could finish, a glass cup was thrown directly at his face.

“Ah!”

The man in the black shirt cried out in pain, clutching his nose as he squatted down. Blood began to seep through his fingers.

“The one who’s being outrageous is you! Who gave you the guts to speak to me like that? You’re all just trash. And who do you think you are to bully my woman?”

Xu Shaochen opened fire at everyone present, making it clear—he wasn’t targeting anyone specifically; he considered them all garbage.

Everyone’s faces darkened. They were all influential people in their own right, and even Du Feng wouldn’t speak to them in this manner.

But now, Xu Shaochen dared to humiliate them like this. How could they not be furious?

“You’re going too far!”

A middle-aged man in a white Tang suit stood up and coldly glared at Xu Shaochen.

“So what? I don’t like beating around the bush, nor do I enjoy playing these underhanded schemes. Because frankly, you’re not even worth my time. Let me make this clear—if anyone tries to touch the shares in Ruyan’s hands again, I’ll make sure they won’t live to regret it.”

Xu Shaochen declared firmly, sounding utterly arrogant.

As soon as they heard the name “Xu Shaochen,” the crowd, initially indignant, suddenly went quiet, their faces turning pale.

They hadn’t met Xu Shaochen, but that didn’t mean they hadn’t heard of him.

“Now, do you still think I’m going too far?”

Xu Shaochen asked the middle-aged man in the white Tang suit.

Cold sweat formed on the man’s forehead. He regretted it deeply. Where everyone else had tolerated it, why had he foolishly decided to stand out?

“I asked you a question—are you deaf?” Xu Shaochen pressed.

“N-no… It’s not too much. Just now, I was speaking nonsense because I was out of my mind. Personally, I’ve always supported Miss Ruyan wholeheartedly, and even if she were to inherit the Chairman’s position right now, I’d assist her with my utmost dedication.”

The middle-aged man in the white Tang suit immediately changed his stance. What choice did he have? After finding out that the young man in front of him was Xu Shaochen, they all abandoned their previous schemes.

Not many people in Jiangzhou had seen Xu Shaochen, but that didn’t mean they didn’t know of him. Anyone who knew him wouldn’t dare try to oppose him.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the conference room grew even more oppressive, as if a dark cloud hung over everyone’s hearts.

“Of course, as I said, I’m actually quite democratic. Let’s take a vote. Du Ruyan will be the future Chairman of Du Group—who’s in favor, and who’s opposed?”

Xu Shaochen’s dark expression melted away, replaced by a warm smile as he looked at the crowd and spoke in a gentle tone.

Of course, anyone who took his pretense of democracy seriously would be a fool.

“I support it. I’ve always backed Miss Ruyan, and this time, I stand firmly by her side.”

“I also support it. I trust that with Miss Ruyan’s intelligence, she’ll lead Du Group to new heights.”

“I support Miss Ruyan as well…”