Five years later.
"According to reports, Feng Shengyang, the chairman of Fengxing Tianxia Group, was hospitalized due to a recurrence of an old illness. After a significant turmoil in the stock price, some shareholders have secretly contacted other companies..."
Feng Qing picked up the remote control and turned off the TV. Without that noise, it was much quieter. She got up, poured a glass of water for her father, Feng Shengyang, and slowly fed it to him.
While wiping the corners of her father's mouth, she couldn't help but complain about the news she had just seen. "It's crazy. You're still okay, but they make it sound like the company is about to go bankrupt. I hate these unprofessional news media the most."
Feng Shengyang was lying in the hospital bed with the head of the bed raised quite a bit to help him sit up. After hearing his daughter's complaint, he just smiled. "That's how news is."
"Besides, what they said might not be untrue."
It was a fact that he was hospitalized, a fact that the stock price had dropped a few points, and a fact that some directors of the company had second thoughts.
"Anyway, I'm just annoyed when I see it." Feng Qing was still very dissatisfied. "You should also watch less. Don't let it affect your mood."
Feng Shengyang had long since taken these things lightly. "I'm already half - buried in the soil. Naturally, I don't care about these things. But you, I know my own body. You've been delaying and only came back after five years. It's time for you to take on the responsibility."
His health was getting worse. This time, he was hospitalized again just because he had a fall. He probably wouldn't be able to leave the hospital for two or three months. The directors of the company were all scheming. If Feng Qing didn't take over as soon as possible, things would only get more difficult.
If she took over now, he could still help her. But if something happened to him one day, he didn't know who else could help Feng Qing.
After all, what he was most worried about was his only daughter.
Feng Qing helped tuck in the corner of his quilt. She neither refused nor agreed. She just lowered her eyes and told him, "You're in the hospital now. Don't worry about the company's affairs. Just take good care of your health. The company still needs you."
Rely on her?
Feng Qing knew her own capabilities well. She didn't dare to tell Feng Shengyang directly, but she knew that if the company relied on her, it might as well rely on fate. Maybe it would be better off just letting things take their own course.
Anyway, she didn't inherit such abilities. Even though she had gone abroad for further study as her father had wanted, which was actually just to get some credentials, she had made little progress after staying abroad for a few years.
Just thinking about the company's affairs gave her a headache.
But even though it was a headache, as her father's only daughter, there were some things she had to do.
After leaving the hospital, she went back home. After returning to China, she didn't live in the Feng family mansion but bought an ordinary house outside, which was quite big for her alone.
After changing her clothes, she put a bit more effort into her eyeshadow and lipstick when applying makeup, making herself look fiercer and more imposing.
She was going to a dinner party later, and it was one she was forced to attend. Her father had an accident, and all the directors of the company thought he was on his last legs. They all wanted to run away as soon as possible. Usually, they all had their own agendas, but on this matter, they were surprisingly unanimous.
She naturally hated such dinner parties, but she could see the situation clearly. She knew that some sacrifices were needed at this time to bring a brighter future for the company. If she could successfully stabilize these directors, it would be easier for her to take over her father's responsibilities in the company in the future.
She drove to a club and found the reserved private room as the waiter instructed.
Just as she pushed the door open and walked in, the door of the next - door private room was also pulled open from the inside. A drunk man was hanging on another man's shoulder as he walked out. One of his hands was constantly gesturing in the air, and he was muttering something.
"Sheng Er! Let me tell you... A man... should see more of the world... Burp... Tonight, I'll take you to meet... I... Burp... I'll get you ten girls... Burp..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he was pushed away by the other man. The man frowned, looking extremely impatient with the drunk man and having very low tolerance.
The man let the drunk man stumble and hit the wall, then he indifferently dusted the ash off his shoulder. "That's you. I'm different from you guys."
The drunk man got up from the wall and staggered towards the man he called Sheng Er. "How... am I different... Burp..." Suddenly, he covered his mouth as if he was about to vomit. Sheng Er was worried that he would vomit on the floor and quickly pulled him towards the restroom.
Inside the private room on the other side, as soon as Feng Qing sat down and before she could even take off her coat, several directors forced a few glasses of wine on her. Six glasses of wine had gone down her throat within five minutes.
Her boldness obviously satisfied these people.
"You're really your father's daughter. You don't lose your edge at the dinner table." One person said, and the others burst into inexplicable laughter.
Feng Qing didn't understand the humor of these middle - aged and elderly men, but she was never one to back down easily. Since this was a rare opportunity to persuade the partners, she would never let it go. She raised her glass and gave a faint smile. "I also have to thank all the uncles on the board. Over the years, you've all done your best to help my father. Now that my father's health is not as good as before, but I'm here. As long as all the uncles are willing to trust me, I believe I won't disappoint you. I'll drink this glass first to thank all the uncles for your help over the years!"
"I just like your boldness!" As someone said this, another glass of wine was offered to her. She had no choice but to drink one glass after another.
This kind of "toasting" continued. Feng Qing clearly felt unwell. She gave an apologetic smile and gently pushed away the glass of wine someone was offering.
"I can't drink as much as the uncles. I'm really not feeling well. I'll go to the restroom first. When I come back... I'll accompany the uncles to drink more."
Feng Qing staggered out of the private room with her bag in hand. Her feet felt like they were stepping on clouds, and she "floated" all the way to the restroom.
She could feel that she was still conscious, but the dizziness took over most of her rationality. As soon as she entered the restroom, she started vomiting crazily. She lay on the toilet for a while before she could finally regain her senses. Her stomach had already been a bit painful just now, and after vomiting, it felt even more painful. She took out a pill bottle from her bag, poured two pills into her hand, and swallowed them without water before standing up.
When she went out to wash her hands, she saw how haggard she looked in the mirror. Feng Qing couldn't help but sigh. All her maintenance efforts seemed to be undone by just one dinner party when she was no longer young.
She took out a powder compact and lipstick from her bag to touch up her makeup. Suddenly, a sharp pain hit her stomach, and she almost lost her balance. When she reached out to support herself on the counter, the lipstick in her hand accidentally fell into the sink. Just as she was about to feel a bit unhappy, a surge of blood suddenly rose in her throat, and she vomited it out. The blood bloomed into a bright flower in the sink.
Under the influence of alcohol, she was already a bit dizzy. After vomiting a pool of blood, the sharp pain made her see stars.
Consciousness was gradually leaving her mind. Her eyes couldn't see clearly, but she could vaguely tell that the world was starting to spin. Before she completely lost consciousness, she was still thinking about her clothes.
The floor is so dirty... The clothes are so expensive...