"Forced abdication? Hmph. Miss Qi, don't flatter yourself. Do you think you're some emperor?"
The middle-aged woman Jiang Hai had brushed past earlier shouted before he could speak. "Forced abdication? We're simply here to claim the benefits we deserve."
Many of the men frowned at her sharp tone, but none objected. They disliked her, but for now, they were on the same side.
"Tell me what happened," Jiang Hai said coldly, ignoring the crowd and turning to Qi Li.
Before Qi Li could reply, a middle-aged man standing behind her stepped forward.
"Let me explain. Young Jiang, do you still remember me?" the man asked. His eyes glittered with satisfaction as he approached, smiling warmly.
"Uncle Zhao?" Jiang Hai paused. The face stirred memories buried deep in his childhood. After a moment, the past aligned with the present.
Yes—this was Zhao Jianjun, vice president of Qi Group.
He had known Jiang Hai since the day he was born. He was a bit younger than both Jiang Hai's and Qi Li's fathers—now nearly fifty. When Jiang Hai was born, Zhao Jianjun had just started working at the factory where their fathers worked. Later, when Qi Li's father followed Qi Song's suggestion to go to the capital and seek better opportunities, Zhao Jianjun went with him, weathering hardship and building the foundation of Qi Group together.
He was Qi Li's father's most trusted right-hand man, and Qi Li's smooth succession of the company owed much to him.
He had even served as the officiant at Jiang Hai and Qi Li's wedding—though the ceremony had been little more than a formality.
All the same, the three of them shared history.
"It's good that you still remember me. Who would've thought the little brat from back then would become someone capable of controlling a billion-yuan company? Hahaha… A few years ago, I even considered your marriage with Qi Li… Cough, forget I said that."
He patted Jiang Hai's shoulder, his eyes warm with genuine gratitude.
Truthfully, Zhao Jianjun had always felt guilty toward Jiang Hai. He had been involved in pushing the young man into the Qi family situation. It wasn't intentional, but he couldn't deny his part in it. Still, he had thought it could have been an opportunity—if Jiang Hai had shown potential, if the couple had united, maybe they could have faced the Qi family together and grown closer.
But back then, Jiang Hai had been drowning in grief, consumed by the loss of his parents. He wanted nothing to do with the company and resented Qi Li.
He had nearly gone down a dark path.
Fortunately, Jiang Hai wasn't rotten at heart. He shut himself away for over a year… and eventually obtained the Dragon Ball, turning his fate around completely.
Zhao Jianjun had witnessed those difficult days and worried constantly. He had even urged Qi Li to give Jiang Hai a chance—after all, he was her husband. When news later reached him that Jiang Hai had suddenly become capable, working miracles in America, he had felt relieved. There were rumors about Jiang Hai's messy romantic life, which troubled him, but Jiang Hai showing up here today meant he still cared about Qi Li.
And as Qi Group's son-in-law, he had every right to know what was happening.
According to Zhao Jianjun, these people truly were here to force Qi Li to hand over the restaurants.
When Jiang Hai had helped China during his return, the authorities granted a special exemption—no commercial tax for Qi Li and Jiang Hai's four restaurants. Aside from cost of goods, labor, and utilities, everything was pure profit.
The first year's numbers were modest. But last year's financial report stunned everyone.
Those four restaurants generated 300 million RMB in net profit.
That entire amount went straight into Qi Li's pocket. How could anyone not be envious?
Everyone present owned several percent of Qi's shares. Those with less than one percent weren't even qualified to stand in this room.
If that 300 million were distributed, they would each receive millions—tens of millions for some. Free money. How could they resist?
So under Qi Song and Qi Yuanlong's instigation, they gathered for several board meetings, arguing over the ownership of the four restaurants.
Whether the businesses belonged to Qi Li and Jiang Hai personally or were assets of the Qi family—
Their shamelessness knew no bounds.
When Qi Li had first proposed the restaurant project, none of them supported her. Now that it had proven wildly profitable, they wanted to swoop in and harvest the fruits of her work.
But Qi Li wasn't someone who bowed easily. She held her own shares, her sisters' shares, and her mother's shares—altogether exceeding controlling interest. Even if all these so-called shareholders combined forces, they couldn't override her.
As chairman and president, Qi Li wielded power they couldn't challenge.
So they began stirring trouble. They claimed share-based voting was unfair and that decisions should be made by a show of hands.
Qi Li, naturally, ignored them. Unable to force her, they gathered today to cause a scene.
This wasn't the first time—but today, Jiang Hai happened to be present.
"Oh? Is that so?" Jiang Hai listened, then let out a soft laugh. "Truly shameless."
The moment those words left his mouth, Qi Song's group burst into anger. Yesterday, Jiang Hai had mocked them and they had held their tongues—because of his reputation for violence.
But now, in the middle of Qi Group's office, surrounded by shareholders, Jiang Hai dared to insult them again?
Was he courting death?
"Jiang Hai, this is a Qi family matter! Why are you meddling?" Qi Song barked, stepping forward.
The others quickly followed:
"That's right! The elders haven't spoken—how dare a junior interrupt!"
"I heard Qi Li's husband was supposedly a self-made man. Looks like the rumors were wrong—he's not even a real one!"
"Exactly. If he wasn't a failure, why would he run off to America to make a living?"
"Ignorance really is bliss. Who does he think he is to lecture us?"
Their insults piled up noisily. Jiang Hai dug a finger into his ear and sighed. So loud…
"Qi Group is a listed company, correct?" he asked calmly, ignoring them all and turning to Qi Li.
Startled by his sudden shift, Qi Li blinked but nodded.
"There's a method for listed companies… something about diluting shareholders' equity and selling it on the open market?" Jiang Hai asked with a faint smile.
"There is. And the diluted shareholders receive the full cash value from the sale," Qi Li replied cautiously. She wasn't entirely sure what Jiang Hai was planning, but she had a vague idea.
"Good. Then dilute all their shares." He pointed at everyone standing opposite them. "All of them. I'll buy them."
The room fell silent.
Every person except Qi Li and Du Ning stared at Jiang Hai as though he had lost his mind.
Buy them all? Was he buying fried chicken? Saying it so casually?
Then the room erupted—not in anger, but disbelief.
They thought he was insane.
Did he really not understand the situation? Buying out all shareholders? There were less than a hundred people in the entire country capable of doing that. As far as Qi Song's faction knew, Jiang Hai raised cattle. Even if Qi Li handed over all profits from the restaurants, that was only 300 million.
And Qi Group's current valuation? After the fall of the An family, it had climbed to nearly 30 billion RMB.
Three hundred million couldn't even buy one percent, let alone all their shares.
Had he completely lost his mind?
"Hey, Jiang Hai, do you even know what you're saying?"
Qi Liangcai stepped forward, chuckling. "You're still too young. I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Qi Li, you should hurry up and—"
Before he could finish, Jiang Hai pulled a card from his pocket and slapped it onto the table.
Thud.
A glossy black card gleamed in the light.
Those who recognized it inhaled sharply.
An unlimited American Express Black Card.
No spending limit.
The room fell into stunned silence.