Reborn Aristocrat: Return of the Vicious Heiress
chapter-1768

As Wen Xinya predicted, even though Chu Jingnan was still not officially welcomed back to the family, his four percent shareholding enabled him to quickly set up base within the Xiao Corporation’s inner management. He soon got on the good books of both the directors and the shareholders and navigated his way around the company as smoothly as a fish swimming in water.

No one knew how, but he managed to quickly gather a good number of connections within the Xiao Corporation, as well as the support of some directors and shareholders. Xiao Zhiyuan and Old Mr. Xiao were very surprised.

The hospital ward was completely quiet, and the atmosphere so oppressive that one could barely breathe.

Xiao Zhiyuan sat before the bed with his head lowered and hands curled into tight fists. It was as if he was quietly enduring something.

Old Mr. Xiao laid in bed, his eyes dim and murky. “It’s certain now that Chu Jingnan was indeed behind Chengyu’s death. His goal is the Xiao Family and the Xiao Corporation.”

Old Mr. Xiao completely deflated after this. He collapsed back on the bed, his breathing shallow and looking as if he might just stop breathing any time now.

The Xiao Family’s rightful heir and hope for the future was extinguished in the hands of this power-hungry illegitimate son. This was a huge blow to Old Mr. Xiao.

Even more detestable was the fact that not only did this bastard take Chengyu’s life, but he was also scheming to take over the Xiao Family, and was now swaggering audaciously within the inner management of the Xiao Corporation.

“Cough cough…” Old Mr. Xiao started coughing heavily.

“Dad…” Xiao Zhiyuan called out in a trembling voice as he watched his elderly father. He was utterly ashamed of himself.

He was the one who had caused the Xiao Family to end up in this lamentable state.

He was now suffering the bitter consequences of his youthful debaucheries. Not only did his wife divorce him and his son distance himself from him, but he had also even carelessly conceived a bastard who ended up wrecking their family.

“Cough cough…” Old Mr. Xiao nearly coughed out a lung as he covered his mouth with a white handkerchief. A dark, red stain spread across the white cloth.

Xiao Zhiyuan hollered frantically. “Dad, are you alright! I… I will go get the doctor over…”

He never expected his father to cough up blood.

All these years, his father had poured in a huge amount of mental effort to ensure the security of the Xiao Family’s position. It didn’t matter what happened, nothing fazed his father. In his mind, his father was like an unshakable mountain, standing before him and shielding him from the wind and rain. Now, this mountain was crumbling right before his eyes.

He felt like his entire world was suddenly collapsing down on him.

Old Mr. Xiao looked a bit better after his bout of coughing. Face as pale as a sheet of paper, he said weakly, “Don’t worry, I won’t die yet!”

The Xiao Family was in great danger and they had yet to avenge Chengyu’s death. Until everything was settled, he would grit his teeth and force himself to live on.

Xiao Zhiyuan dropped to his knees in front of Old Mr. Xiao. “Dad, this is all my fault. I have let you down. I have let Yuechan down. I have let Chengyu down. I have let down all our ancestors. I deserve to die…”

Old Mr. Xiao panted as he chastised sharply. “Get up!”

Xiao Zhiyuan was sobbing wildly. All the pain and bitterness accumulated in his heart over the past few days were unleashed at this very moment. “It’s all my fault. Why… why did the heavens choose to take my son’s life as punishment for my sins…”

Old Mr. Xiao’s murky eyes went red. “You… get up now!”

With that, he started coughing heavily again.

Xiao Zhiyuan didn’t dare to disobey. He crawled up pathetically and hurried over to support his father, patting his back soothingly to ease his coughing.

A moment later, Old Mr. Xiao’s coughing finally subsided. “What’s the point in blaming yourself and cursing the heavens now that the Xiao Family has fallen into such a state? Get yourself together and think of ways to avenge Chengyu’s death.”

His breath became weaker after he finished his little speech.

Xiao Zhiyuan sat numbly before the bed. Old Mr. Xiao’s words felt like a jolt of lightning to his mind.

Old Mr. Xiao stared coldly at him. “Have you come to your senses yet?”

Old Mr. Xiao couldn’t help feeling disappointed as he looked at his wimp of a son. How could he have borne such a weakling?

The more he thought about it, the more pronounced the gap between Zhiyuan’s failings and Chengyu’s capabilities.

Xiao Zhiyuan lowered his head in shame before lifting his face again. The pain was still there, but his eyes had cleared. “Your son has been a great disappointment.”

His father was so ill but still had to continue plotting for the Xiao Family.

On the contrary, he was wallowing in self-hatred and self-pity.

Old Mr. Xiao finally relaxed a little. This son of his was no great talent, but at least he was now capable of thinking clearly. “For Chu Jingnan to scheme against the Xiao Family so boldly, he must have someone secretly backing him. We have no idea who our enemy is, and we cannot fight back with just brute force alone.”

Old Mr. Xiao had lived for over 80 years.

His intellect and astuteness were beyond your common man’s.

Chu Jingnan was trying to make use of his four percent shareholdings to take over the Xiao Corporation. He must be dreaming. Nevertheless, he had been very meticulous and deliberate in his scheming. He had gotten rid of Chengyu first and then stepped up when the Xiao Family was in a crisis. He had correctly predicted that in this perilous time, there was no way the Xiao Family would let his four percent shareholdings slip out of their grasp.

Every step he made was carefully calculated. He dared to make this move as he had the goods to back his actions.

Xiao Zhiyuan was somewhat disgruntled. “Are we just going to stand by and watch him swallow up the Xiao Corporation inch by inch?”

These days, he had been anxiously watching as Chu Jingnan started to weasel his way into the inner management of Xiao Corporation.

Old Mr. Xiao said in a chilly tone, “Chu Jingnan thinks that a bunch of shareholders are easy to handle? Let them pit themselves against each other for now. No matter who wins or loses, the end result will be the same for us.”

Chu Jingnan was power-hungry and planning to take over the Xiao Corporation.

Those shareholders were just a bunch of bloodsuckers. All they cared about was how to continue leeching off the Xiao Family.

The Xiao Family would just sit by the sidelines and wait to reap the spoils of their fight.

Xiao Zhiyuan understood his meaning but was somewhat hesitant. “I am afraid Xiao Corporation’s foundations will be wrecked at the end of it all.”

This was a business that his father had painstakingly built up over so many years!

Chengyu had even lost his life for this company. Pain shot through his heart when he thought of this.

Old Mr. Xiao said harshly, “Fool. The Xiao Corporation has already reached this stage, do you think we have any other choice? The Xiao Family will never be safe as long as those bunch of bloodthirsty shareholders is around…” He continued in a bitter voice, “Blame me for being too short-sighted and not heeding Chengyu’s suggestion. If not…”

The Xiao Family were not afraid of suffering major losses. As long as they could maintain their foundation, it was just a matter of time before they would be able to rise again.

And the loss of Chengyu’s life would not have gone to furthering Chu Jingnan’s ploy.

Xiao Zhiyuan understood his meaning. “Father, what should we do next then?”

The Xiao Family couldn’t be completely passive while Chu Jingnan and the shareholders fought it out.

“We will show our full support to nominate Chu Jingnan as the next CEO.”

After Chengyu’s death, there had been intense conflicts within the Xiao Corporation over the next CEO. As of now, there was no agreement as to who should fill that position. It was just right the time for them to nominate Chu Jingnan for that role.